‘Burial.’ The coffin containing the late Archbishop Teofilo Camomot’s remains and wax effigy was sealed and buried in a special tomb at the Domus Teofilo. (SunStar Foto/Alex Badayos)
THE news about the finding of forensic experts about the exhumed body of the late Archbishop Teofilo Camomot of Carcar, Cebu is really unbelievable. The body may have decomposed but there are two uncommon aspects about the remains—The bones and clothes of the deceased were “in pristine condition, uncorrupted by any form of infestation and insect activity. There was a remarkable absence of foul smell and odor of decay.”
Dr. Erwin Erfe, head of the forensic team, stated that “this is the first time I encountered something like this… Usually, there is an odor of decay whenever we examine remains even decades after the death of the person. And usually, the remains are infested with insects considering that the coffin is made of wood. In the case of Archbishop Camomot, there’s no foul smell and its remains were neither infested with insects.”
The body of Archbishop Camomot was first exhumed in 2009 from a Carcar City cemetery, and was transferred to the compound of the Daughters of St. Teresa de Avila (DST), a congregation founded by him. My sister and I are so blessed that we were able to visit the place last year, Fr. Heiden Timbang of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Sangat, Carcar, Cebu brought us there. The second exhumation was conducted early this month and his skeletal remains were placed in a fiber glass effigy and laid in a white coffin. It was buried at the Domus Teofilo (House of Teofilo) in Barangay Valladolid, Carcar City after the Mass celebrated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, who told the people to pray as the Archdiocese of Cebu continues the stringent process for the beatification and canonization of the archbishop. He urged the parishioners to emulate the life and virtues of the priest. Abp. Camomot was known for his extreme generosity and love for the poor. The Archdiocese of Cebu “took the fourth, left rib that was close to Abp. Camomot’s heart to be a relic or a tangible item for veneration in case the priest will be beatified or canonized.”
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago
