4 bodies retrieved from Vizcaya mine tunnel

BAYOMBONG, Philippines — Rescue workers have retrieved four bodies from a mine tunnel in Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya where five small-scale miners were reported to have been found dead on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, police clarified that two of the miners were rescued by volunteers and members of a search and rescue team who responded to the scene of the incident in Barangay Runruno.

Aside from the remains of three miners, the rescue team also retrieved the body of a 20-year-old resident, identified as John Philip Guinihid, who volunteered to help search for the victims.

Guinihid was pulled out from the tunnel at past 2 p.m. on Wednesday, while miner Daniel Segundo was retrieved at 9:53 p.m.

Two others, Florencio Indopia and Lipihon Ayudan, were retrieved at past midnight yesterday.

Reports said that Ayudan, Indopia and Segundo, along with their companions, Joval Bantiyan and Alfred Dulnuan, entered the tunnel on Monday night.

A resident, who reportedly entered the tunnel before dawn on Tuesday, reported to barangay officials that he found the miners dead.

Bantiyan and Dulnuan were rescued at past 7 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, on Tuesday.

Guinihid, along with Ayudan’s brother Johny and an unidentified volunteer reportedly entered the tunnel on Wednesday to search for the remaining miners.

While the unidentified volunteer managed to find his way out, Guinihid and Ayudan reportedly lost consciousness and were trapped in the tunnel.

An hour after Guinihid’s body was retrieved, Johny was pulled out alive from the tunnel.

Members of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and local government units as well as workers of mining companies and other volunteer groups joined the search and retrieval operations.