Over 1,000 soldiers search for trapped miners

Over 1,000 soldiers were deployed to Compostela Valley to search for the 17 miners who were trapped in mining sites after a landslide on Good Friday last week. Army second infantry division Chief Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia said the army has deployed four platoons (or over 1,000 soldiers) to the landslide sites in Brgy. Kingkin, Pantukan for the retrieval operations, Benije Liwanag reported over radio dzBB.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Meanwhile, Police Senior Supt. Aaron Aquino, provincial director of the Compostela Valley police, said the Philippine Air Force will also send personnel to help in the search. However, Aquino said there is now only a little chance that there are still survivors. “Baka wala na rin po unless meron pa pong possibility na may survivor po na tumakbo papuntang loob ng kanilang mga tunnels at ngayon ay buhay pa rin po," Aquino said in an interview over Unang Balita. Although the local government has suspended the mining operations in the area for at least 30 days, there are still some who violate the suspension, he noted. “Yung iba eh matitigas pa rin yung ulo at tuloy pa rin (ang mining operations)," Aquino said. “Yun pong instruction po sa aming law enforcers ay ipahinto lahat ng operations," he added. - Karlitos Brian Decena, VVP, GMA News