House bill outlines guidelines for state funeral

An amendment to an existing law on state funerals will allow the governor to grant the honor to any individual he finds deserving of such recognition, but it will also seek to bar entitlement to any person or public official who is a convicted felon not pardoned by the local chief executive.

Under House Bill 12-154, state funerals shall be held, aside from high-ranking officials of the government and fire and police officers killed in the line of duty, to others deemed appropriate by the governor.

The proposal came seven months after Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio signed Public Law 11-92 which limits granting of this honor to these specific individuals.

It also sets the guidelines and procedures in order to enhance their significance, while establishing the spending limit by the government at $3,000 for each ceremony, as well as the required protocol, like the number of gun salute to be given.

Under that policy, public officials who must be honored by a state funeral range from present and former governors and lieutenant governors, current mayors and members of the Legislature and resident representative to the United States as well as judges and justices.

Police and fire officers are also included in the category if they are killed in the line of duty.

But the governor, citing the strict set of rules, had asked the Legislature to amend the new law to include others who might not fall under these categories, but who have served the island “in a truly extraordinary way.”

While that law was prompted by concerns that state funerals had become a de rigueur even for unlikely individuals in the community, Mr. Tenorio maintained the criteria should be widened so as not to exclude other personalities who must be honored with a public ceremony.

The House unanimously approved the amendment giving the governor flexibility in determining other criteria, but Rep. Diego T. Benavente recommended further limitation by denying state funeral to any person convicted of a felony and is not pardoned by the chief executive.

“If a person committed a crime and he is entitled to a state funeral, I don’t think it’s a good role model for the next generation,” said Rep. Dino M. Jones.

“The current statute does not discriminate against criminals,” said Speaker Benigno R. Fitial. “Notwithstanding moral decency, we should be critical against granting state funerals.”

HB 12-154, with Mr. Benavente’s amendment, now heads to the Senate for action. The measure apparently came to light after administration officials pondered on whether to give state funeral to Retired Marine Corporal Cristino Dela Cruz who passed away Sunday, days after receiving highest military honors.