1Tahanan Party-list Rep. Nathaniel Oducado has filed House Bill No. 6222, which seeks to regulate cremation practices in the Philippines to ensure the preservation of biological and forensic evidence crucial to the administration of justice.
Oducado explained that while cremation has become an increasingly accepted practice for cultural, religious, and practical reasons, “the absence of clear procedures has led to the irreversible loss of biological evidence such as DNA, fingerprints, and tissue samples.”
This, he said, poses serious challenges in investigating crimes, determining causes of death, and securing convictions.
HB No. 6222 mandates the proper identification of remains and the collection and documentation of biological specimens prior to cremation, ensuring that critical evidence is secured before the process becomes irreversible.
“Justice must never be denied by the destruction of truth. This measure strengthens safeguards against crime while respecting the rights of families to honor their dead,” Oducado said.
The measure aims to close gaps in the current legal framework and prevent cremation facilities from being inadvertently used to conceal evidence, reinforcing the State’s duty to protect truth, accountability, and justice.
