SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL OPERATION CONTINUES FOR THE 6 TREASURE HUNTERS BURIED ALIVE IN MARIHATAG

SURIGAO DEL SUR – In the latest update from the PNP Caraga, the retrieval operation in search of the six hunters buried alive is ongoing after the tunnel they were digging collapsed in Purok Casting, Brgy. Bayan, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur on October 12, Monday at around 7 PM.

According to the spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 13 Police Captain Dorothy Tumulak, the seven miners were excavating an approximately 30-feet hole when it suddenly caved in. One of the seven men was rescued and is now in stable condition after being brought to the provincial hospital. While as of today, October 14, the bodies of the other six are not yet retrieved.

“So ang isa nga treasure hunter nga diri sa may outer most part sa lungag partially lang ni siya natabunan sa yuta mao to nga dali siya nga na rescue. Pero kining unom hangtud karon wala gihapon na-retrieve. Diin toa karon sa area pa gihapon ang personahe sa PNP kuyog ang LGU, ang MDRRMO, naa tay mga personahe sa Bureau of Fire nga padayun karon ang gihimong search and retrieval operation,” said PCapt. Tumulak.

( So one treasure hunter was at the outermost part of the hole partially buried, causing him to get rescued immediately. But the other six men are not yet retrieved until now. The PNP personnel, MDRRMO, and the Bureau of Fire personnel are still conducting search and retrieval operation in the area. )

The trapped miners were identified as Eduardo Ubas, Jerome Lucaberte, Menard de Jesus, Jonathan Ocson, Angelito Sicup, and Leo Reyes. All were of legal age.

Based on the investigation, the land is privately-owned, and the victims didn’t have a permit for treasure hunting.

One of the reasons why the operation keeps stalling is because of the water gushing out of the tunnel, and the soft soil worsened by the rainy weather.

The six miners are presumably dead because they’ve been trapped inside the tunnel for more than 48-hours.