Huge rock kills miner inside cave

MABINI, Bohol, Philippines – A worker of a small-scale mining company died last month but environment officials learned about the incident during an ocular inspection of the site only last week.

The miner, identified as Celso Peligro Sr., 52, met his untimely death when a huge rock fell on him while he was excavating guano and rock phosphate deposits in a cave in Barangay Tambo. 

His death was confirmed by Vincent Castanos, son of mine concessionaire Vicente Castanos.

His co-worker said Peligro was buried last week of February, but the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) learned about the incident during an ocular inspection last week. BEMO officer Leonilo Lafuente led the inspection.

It was not immediately known if Peligro’s family has been indemnified.

The inspection was part of Castanos’ application to renew their permit to extract guano/phosphate from the cave. Officials are yet to give their say on the application to renew.

News about the incident alarmed town officials and prompted Mabini Mayor Esther Tabigue to visit the site personally. The cave is reportedly still under dispute between Castanos and a certain Restituto Tan.

Barangay Tambo is home to high-grade guano deposits, which are being ground to pieces to be used as ingredient in producing organic fertilizers.

Castanos, owner of the St. Vincent’s Ventures, was issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) No. RO7-0908-0395-307 on February 12, 2009 by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to conduct small-time quarry for guano/phosphate with an area of 14,268 sq. meters.

Another guano permittee identified as one Ms. Lydia Salazar was issued ECC No. 9105-017-302A by EMB on April 30, 1992. Salazar operates at a nearby cave not so far from where the Castanos. - THE FREEMAN