Sinusuportahan ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III ang isinusulong na Senate Bill No. 1273, na sponsor ni Senador Robin Padilla, na kumikilala sa maayos at tamang espasyong paglilibingan sa mga sumakabilang-buhay na Pilipinong Muslim, Indigenous Peoples, at iba pang denominations, sa mga pampublikong sementeryo o libingan.
Ayon kay Pimentel, may ilang mga suhestyon siya para sa improvement ng nabanggit na panukalang-batas.
"I have a suggestion for improvement in the bill. Because in Sec. 4 (Apportionment and Partition of Public Cemeteries.), this is what we are already saying, that our public cemeteries should have a place, a burial ground for Muslim Filipinos, for the Indigenous Peoples, and for other denominations," aniya sa kaniyang Facebook post.
"We are trying to describe in words an idea that we have in our mind, in the Author’s mind. My proposal is, if we can incorporate into the bill the floor plan."
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Naniniwala umano si Pimentel na dapat magkaroon ng tamang lugar ang mga namatay na Muslim, mga miyembro ng Indigenous Peoples, at iba pang denominations sa mga pampublikong sementeryo, at mailibing sila batay sa kanilang tradisyon, paniniwala, o praktikang panrelihiyon.
Ibinahagi naman ni Padilla, principal sponsor ng bill, ang post ni Pimentel sa kaniyang opisyal na Facebook page.
Noong Miyerkules, Setyembre 25, ay dinepensahan ni Padilla ang kaniyang bill sa naganap na sesyon sa Senado, at sa pagtatanong na rin ni Pimentel patungkol dito.
Mababa sa ulat at post ng Senado, "Pimentel asked Padilla about the reasons behind the proposal that would uphold the rights of every Filipinos even in their final moments."
Sa pagpapatuloy, "Padilla explained that the measure was inspired by the numerous challenges faced by Muslim and Indigenous peoples in finding appropriate burial sites for their departed loved ones in accordance with their beliefs and customs."
"He noted that given the large number of Indigenous and Muslim communities scattered throughout the Philippines, SBN 1273 is a good approach to address the needs of the communities," dagdag pa.
