2 workers buried alive in landslide in Benguet mine site

Tuba, Benguet – The bodies of two contractual employees of Philex Mining Corp. who were buried alive in mud and boulders in a huge landslide at the open pit mining site here during the height of typhoon Karen, were dug up 27 hours later on Friday, thus bringing the howler’s death toll in the Cordilleras to eight.

Forty-six-year-old Ernesto Paduca and 45-year-old Alberto Caballero, both contractual employees of the firm who worked as “spotters” or “watchers” at the subsidence area of the open pit mining site, were dug up only at around 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Philex Mining Corp.’s Mine Engineering and Draw Control Department claimed that before the two “pit watchers” were gone, they heard loud rumbling sound coming from the slopes they call “Wedge number 2” and “Albian slope.”

“Our investigation,” said Mines and Geosciences Bureau-CAR director Engr. Neoman de la Cruz, “points to the conclusion that it was not caused by any lapses on the mining firm, but the rains,” “a-la-Gunisaugon landslide.”

Likening it to the disastrous landslide in Guinsaugon in Leyte, the huge 723,000 cubic meter slide was blamed by the MGB director to the over saturation of the soil (with water) that caused the ground materials to rush down.

Hence, dispelling fears of massive landslides or other geologic-related earth movements in the Cordillera region, although Karen’s eight deaths in CAR were due to landslides.

The most recent geologic hazard map by the MGB noted several earthquake fault lines crisscrossing the Cordillera including the highland resort city of Baguio, that when “mismanaged” could trigger heavy losses of lives and property.

MGB hinted that seismic hazards from several active earthquake faults like the San Manuel and Digdig faults and other smaller faults criss-crossing the region and Baguio City are posing danger to everyone.

Mass movements like landslides and rockslides especially along major road systems in the Cordillera continue to be a problem especially during the rainy season, he said.

All major highways – Kennon Road, Halsema Highway, Naguilian Road, Marcos Highway and the Benguet-Vizcaya Road interconnecting the Cordillera provinces and the rest of Northern Luzon, suffer heavy damages from land and rock slides during heavy downpour and stormy weather.

10-hectare landslide

Philex’s official report claimed that aside from the victims, three bulldozers and one backhoe of the mine firm were also buried in the huge landslide that covered more or less 10 hectares.

Mobilizing seven of its load-haul-dump (LHD) facilities and four bulldozers to clear the landslide and one backhoe to retrieve the bodies of their employees, Philex rescuers found the duo 27 hours after.  

Ore extraction at all watery and fluidized drawpoints remain suspended until the pit subsidence operations are normalized, officials of Philex vowed.

The open pit mine site, Philex’s expansion from its operations in Padcal, also this town, has only been operating for more than a year after controversies like its lack of “free and prior informed consent” from affected indigenous peoples in Tuba and Itogon were finally ironed out.