3 miners die of suffocation

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Three workers of a small-scale gold mining operation died of suffocation in a tunnel in Loreto, Agusan del Sur on Saturday.

Police identified two of the victims as Dennis Pegaredo, 27, and Kenneth Kier Mayuga, 18. The third victim was a 15-year-old boy.

Investigation showed that Pegaredo was digging inside the tunnel in Barangay Sta. Teresa when he smelled gas and suffered difficulty in breathing.

Mayuga and the minor tried to help Pegaredo, but they too suffered difficulty in breathing.

The victims were declared dead on arrival at the Loreto District Hospital.

Probers have yet to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, authorities raided and dismantled a small-scale gold mining operation in the mountains of Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay on Saturday.

The raid was conducted after police received information about the illegal mining activities at the boundary of Barangays Gaycon and Loboc, according to Tungawan Mayor Carlnan Climaco.

The raid was conducted by the local police, troopers from the Army’s 42nd Infantry Battalion and personnel of the municipal environment and natural resources office.

No one was arrested as the miners fled after sensing the arrival of the raiding team at around 3 p.m.

“The team found six ball mills, 12 kilos of extracted materials, an 18-horsepower engine, ropes and other equipment at the site,” Capt. Wabelyn Ama Tarrozo of the Tungawan police said.

Probers have yet to identify the operator of the mining site.