LGU, MILF protect newly-founded burial site

By RUSSTUM G. PELIMA

MAITUM, Sarangani (April 10, 2008) – Local government unit (LGU) officials and leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) agreed Wednesday (April 9) to form a joint security group in order to safeguard a newly-found anthropomorphic burial site in barangay Pinol.

The new cave's entrance, adjacent to Ayob Cave where burial jars with calibrated date of 5 B.C to A.D. 225 were found in 1991, was accidentally uncovered by quarry workers Saturday (April 5).

"Although there is no evidence that there was looting of the burial jars, we prefer to keep the place guarded from now on," Mayor Elsie Perrett said.

A half-broken jar with the face of a human being and some broken bones were found inside the cave and secured by Lingling Jabel who owns the cave.

The entrance to the mountain-side cavity is too tight. Only one person can pass at a time in laid-back position then crawl to get inside the cave.

Its main chamber of loose limestone can roughly occupy 20 persons in a sitting position. A pocket east of the cave floor has water.

Perrett disclosed that the National Museum has been informed of the find.

Members of the security team will be composed of barangay tanods, MILF and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) integrees, according to Perrett.

"So that there will be no antagonism among them, I have met with Chairman Kimboy of the MILF's political affairs who keeps the peace and order in the area," Perrett said.

Kimboy Bayang, chair of the MILF provincial committee on political affairs, declared at the site Wednesday that "effective today bawal pumasok to prevent accident."

National Museum officials pointed out that the artifacts are not owned by any one person and should be protected.

According to Presidential Decree 374 which amended Republic Act 9846 or the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act, "it shall be unlawful to explore, excavate or make diggings on archaeological or historical sites for the purpose of obtaining materials of cultural or historical value without the prior written authority from the Director of the National Museum."

No excavation or diggings shall be permitted without the supervision of an archaeologist certified as such by the Director of the National Museum, or of such other person who in the opinion of the Director is competent to supervise the work, and who shall, upon completion of the project, deposit with the Museum a catalogue of all materials found thereon and a description of the archaeological context in accordance with accepted archaeological practices."

When excavators shall strike upon any buried cultural property, the excavation shall be suspended and the matter reported immediately to the Director of the National Museum who shall take the appropriate steps to have the discovery investigated and to insure the proper and safe removal thereof, with the knowledge and consent of the owner. The suspension shall not be lifted until the Director of the National Museum shall so allow it."All explorations, excavations, or diggings on government and private property for archaeological or historic purposes shall be undertaken only by the National Museum, or any institution duly authorized by the Director of the National Museum." (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/RGP)