1 killed in Misamis Oriental mine collapse

BUTUAN CITY — A small-scale miner was killed last Friday after a gold mine tunnel in Opol town in Misamis Oriental collapsed, local police said on Sunday. The Opol municipal police office identified the miner as Victor Raus, 29. A certain Tony Dunayao, 40, was reported hurt. Senior Police Officer 3 Allan Payla said the tunnel had collapsed while Raus was fixing the water pump machine. Local policemen said it had taken hours before they recovered Raus’ body beneath the rubble. His remains were brought to Cotabato City, his hometown. Last year, a mining tunnel in the village of Cauyunan also collapsed, killing two miners and leaving several others wounded. The Alliance of Advocates in Mining Advancement for National Progress condoled with Raus’ family. The group’s head, mining engineer and geologist Rafael Banigued Jr., said the group is seeking a party-list seat in the May elections to protect small-scale miners. — BS/SMD/NPA, GMANews.TV