GMA gives aid to Compostela landslide victims

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Arroyo gave cash assistance yesterday to victims of the landslide that struck a mining site in Barangay Napnapan in Pantukan, Compostela Valley province last Monday.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte flew to Kingking Central Elementary School in Poblacion Pantukan to hand out P10,000 in cash to relatives of each of those killed.

Each of the 20 injured were given P5,000 in cash. Of the 20 injured, 12 remained at the Pantukan District Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, while the others had already been discharged after being cleared by doctors.

Troops, policemen and civilian volunteers retrieved the remains of the victims and rescued the survivors.

The Compostela Valley provincial and Pantukan municipal governments extended relief assistance to the victims of the landslide, who were reportedly among the more than 5,000 transient small-scale miners from neighboring provinces.

Compostela Valley Gov. Arthur Uy said as of yesterday afternoon, 22 remains had been retrieved from the scene of the landslide, while four or five others are still missing.

He will convene the provincial disaster coordinating council tomorrow to draw up measures to stop mining operations in certain parts of Pantukan.

Pantukan Mayor Celso Sarenas said the miners defied an order for them to immediately vacate the area, and insisted on staying to continue their operations until the landslide occurred, he added.

Officials of the Mining and Geo-Sciences Bureau have also repeatedly warned miners in Sitio Boringot and the neighboring town of Maco to stop operations because of the hazard posed by landslides, particularly during the rainy season.

Victims of the landslide reportedly took refuge from the rain in three bunkhouses that were buried by rampaging mud and boulders.

Gold miners used their hands to dig out the bodies of 24 colleagues buried under a pile of mud and rocks.

Most of the dead were pinned and crushed by rocks or suffocated under a meter of mud, said rescuer Albert Dayao.

About 20 people were treated for injuries and two are missing, Uy said.

The dead are Adong Gabay, 14; Antonio Paña; Jojo Trespe, 21; Raymer Claudio, 20; Manuel Paña Jr., 1 year old; Manuel Paña Sr., a tunnel owner; Felix Claudio Jr., 18; Allan Gonzales, 40; Sargie Manolin, 21, Dodong Udtohan, 25, Rickrick Subiton, 21, Argie Diolagon, 22, Rose Trespe, 40, Inday Capinan, 25; Taidong Trespe, 21, a certain Boboy M., and Lynlyn Cantone. – With Evelyn Macairan