CEBU, Philippines - Two men were trapped inside a stone quarry in barangay Calagasan, Argao town in the southern part of the province since yesterday morning.
Rescuers were still trying to pluck them out of the hole as of 8 o’clock last night and the work is expected to continue until early morning today.
The two were identified as Nelson Pantuhan, of legal age, married, and Nitoy Alforque, single. They are both residents of the barangay.
The cream stone quarry is owned by a certain Rogelio Fuentes. Residents of the place said that those who want to get stones are welcome to go down the quarry and Fuentes would pay them for what they would bring to the surface.
The stones are used in the furniture industry.
Argao town is 66 kilometers from the heart of Cebu City and barangay Calagasan is still 20 kilometers further inland.
The cave-in reportedly happened at 9 a.m., but the people of the barangay did not immediately seek help from the town as they thought they could rescue Pantuhan and Alforque by themselves.
It was only at 2 p.m. when the call for help reached Vice Mayor Stanley Caminero of the town, who rushed to the scene and brought two back hoes to help dig out the victims.
The move to use heavy equipment was later abandoned as the two miners complained that the earth shook and they were worried that they would be buried for good.
Rescuers are in constant communication with the two men, and although there is air that is getting into the quarry, food cannot be brought down to them as there is not a big enough space to do that.
The two men are reportedly about ten meters deep inside the quarry and as of last night and the rescuers were still halfway through.
The rescuers were using their bare hands to dig to avoid any movement that would jeopardize the safety of the trapped men.
The town police are with the vice mayor along with some barangay folk helping out in the rescue operation.
Delfin Alberca, brother of the barangay captain, told reporters that there were three men inside the quarry before the cave-in.
The third person was identified as Joey Langi.
Alberca said that Langi was able to avoid being trapped as he was asked by the two men to check what was happening on the surface as the earth moved. He barely made it out of the quarry when it caved in.
The area where the rescue is taking place has been cordoned off for the safety of the other people as the earth there is reportedly unstable.
Fuentes has reportedly been providing food for the rescuers. — /NLQ (FREEMAN)