KALIBO, AKLAN – Fish vendors in Aklan are facing significant challenges following alarming rumors that fish sold in local markets may have consumed human remains from a nearby cemetery damaged by a storm surge.
The misinformation emerged after the storm surge affected burial sites in Barangay Aguila, Sebaste, leading to widespread belief that fish caught in the area were contaminated.
Barangay Dumga’s Punong Barangay, Leovigildo Villanueva, expressed concern about the detrimental impact on local businesses due to these rumors.
Families dependent on fish sales are struggling, with reports indicating a sharp decline in market activity.
Villanueva confirmed that while fish supply from Pandan, Antique continues, he emphasized that there is no truth to the claims that fish have ingested human remains.
He urged fishermen to continue their work, clarifying that even if the fishing conditions are less than ideal, it does not correlate with the baseless rumors circulating in the community.
Authorities, including the Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council and the Sebaste Municipal Police Station, have reassured the public that the cemetery remains safe, despite the storm surge incidents that have affected the area previously.