For negligence: Cops look into quarry accident

CEBU, Philippines —  The police are now coordinating with the parents of the child who died and of the two others who were injured after a rock fell on them while digging for limestone in Sitio Atis, Kanluhangon, Tabuelan, Cebu on Saturday.

Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, director of Cebu Police Provincial Office, said they are looking into the possible negligence upon knowing that the digging has been going on for a while now.

"It seems that these minors were working with the knowledge of the parents pero tingin namin yun ang tinututukan ng investigation, kasi yung mga bata matagal na nilang ginagawa na kumukuha ng limestone na binibinta nila on the road side, to tingnan natin yung possibility ng liability ng parents nila," said Soriano.

The Tabuelan police identified the casualty as Jonhrell Bansiloy Aragon, 10, while his injured companions were identified as Rizalie Aragon Lumapas, 12, and a certain Christian Lumapas, 4-year-old.

The report from the police said that the area where the children were digging was just a few distance from where they are living.

Initial investigation also revealed that the children were digging limestone to sell.

"Base sa sa pakighinabi sa mga pulis nga niresponde sa maong insidente, nahibaw-an nga ang tulo ka mga bata nangubkob og anapog para ilang i-baligya kung adunay mopalit niini," read the report of the Tabuelan police.

"Ang pagpangubkob og anapog, mao ang usa sa mga paagi niining mga bataa nga makatabang sa ilang ginikanan aron makapalit og pangunsumo sa ilang pamilya," the same statement further read.

Over this, Soriano has put an emphasis that the selling of limestone is illegal aside from the fact that minors were involved.

"Siguro may mga situation na nato-tolerate sa barangay yung mga ganitong activity dahil napakaliit lang, hindi pa maramdaman yung isang malaking bloke ng limestone, so baka tino-tolerate nila for a long time already, so we are looking into it," said Soriano. — GMR (FREEMAN)