LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – The bodies of 5 gold miners, including that of a 17-year old boy, were recovered over the weekend after they were trapped inside a mine pit in the gold-rich town of Aroroy, Masbate.
Two of the victims, identified as Wilson Petiros, 40, and Jorly Cedillo, 28, both from Barangay Panique, were found inside the mining tunnel of Lucky Land Small Scale Miners Association, Inc on Friday, April 15.
Another miner, Francisco Bangalisan, 23, did not reach the hospital alive because of a poisonous substance he apparently inhaled inside the sinkhole.
Malu Calubaquib, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police regional office in Bicol, said Petiros and Cedillo entered the mining sinkhole early Friday to dig ore-bearing soil.
Past 2 pm, Bangalisan tried to rescue them, but fell unconscious after inhaling an undetermined poisonous substance.
The bodies of two more gold mine workers were recovered over the weekend, with the victims identified as Cornellio C. Credo Jr., 42, a resident of Barangay Tinago, Aroroy town, and Angelo Aparejado, 17, of Barangay Lagta, Baleno town.
Credo’s body was recovered at 11:55 am on Sunday while the body of 17-year old Aparejado was found around 9 am on Monday.
Meanwhile, 53-year-old Cristito Balicolon of Barangay Tinago survived the mine pit after he was able to get out of the tunnel when he started feeling dizzy. Balicolon was brought to a clinic and is now in stable condition.
This is the second tragic mining incident reported this month in the small scale mining sites of Aroroy, Masbate.
On April 15, three gold workers from Sitio Boston, Barangay Capsay died from suffocation after they were trapped inside a small-scale mining sinkhole. – Rappler.com