13 others flee on time: Collapse leaves miner trapped

CEBU, Philippines - Search and rescue operations were still ongoing as last night for a man trapped in a collapsed mining pit in Barangay Dunga, Danao City, Cebu.

Family members of 22-year-old Jose Melvin Landero were still waiting at the entrance of the mining pit of Seri Mining late afternoon yesterday, almost 12 hours since the accident took place.

Members of the media were not allowed to go near the immediate vicinity but a relative of Landero, who wish not to be named, said that their whole family would not go home until he is found.

The person said his brother, Ruben Malbago, was also injured when the mining pit caved in. Malbago was immediately brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center after his hip and back were reportedly broken.

Per account of the miners who were helping to rescue Landero, the logs serving as brace support in the mining pit broke. There were 14 miners inside the pit but only Landero failed to get out.

Malbago reportedly tried to pull out Landero when everything started to fall around them but Landero told the miners to go.

His companions allegedly had a hard time extricating him and that the collapsing soil was already closing in on them, prompting Landero to tell them to leave him behind.

Landero’s whole family was seen waiting at the pit’s entrance but the exact location where the collapse happened was reportedly still 400 meters away.

Landero, the eldest of five, has worked in the mine for less than a month yet.

Waiting for news, Landero’s younger sibling was heard shouting “uli na kuya (brother, go home now)” while standing at the pit of the entrance.

PO3 Roselo Campo of the Danao City Police Station told The FREEMAN that they could not conclude yet that there is a fatality in the accident since Landero is not yet found.

Two others also suffered minor injuries in the collapse.

Campo said they received the alarm from concerned citizen past 9 a.m.

According to a resident near the area, Seri mining began operating in their place in 2009 but that it closed recently. She said her husband, who worked in the mine for three years, was offered only P25,000 as last pay.

The mine workers allegedly refused to accept a settlement and filed cases against the company. Virlo Subconstruction reportedly handles part of the mine’s current operation.

The FREEMAN tried to seek the management’s statement about the incident but was told by a security guard that no one was available for an interview.

Danao City government officials were seen in the area but were not available for interview.—/RHM (FREEMAN)