2 miners die inside mine in Kalinga

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Two pocket miners have died due to alleged gas poisoning and suffocation after they were trapped inside a small-scale mine tunnel in section Umbog, Bagtayan, Pasil town over the past several days.

Senior Supt. Virgilio Laya, director of the Kalinga provincial police office, identified the victims as Jomel Ganaban, 32, married, and Dennis Esteban, 30, married, both pocket miners and residents of Barangay Maling, Balbalan, Kalinga.

Initial police investigation showed the victims, together with their fellow pocket miners, entered their assigned pocket mine tunnel at the height of super typhoon “Juan,” but they failed to come out since then. Their companions tried to conduct a search and rescue operation to locate their whereabouts, but their efforts were in vain. They were forced to abandon the mine site because of the extreme danger due to the effects of heavy rains and strong winds brought by the weather disturbance.

When the weather improved, the concerned miners resumed their search and rescue operation. They eventually found the bodies of the victims inside the mine tunnel already in a state of decomposition.

The bodies were immediately brought to their families. –Dexter Dee, Manila Bulletin