Two of five miners survive Nueva Vizcaya tunnel, police says
BAGUIO CITY — Two of the five miners, initially reported dead due to suffocation inside a tunnel in Barangay Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya on Tuesday morning, were rescued alive, the latest Nueva Vizcaya police report said.
Alfred Dulnuan Bilibli was first rescued past 2 p.m. while his colleague Joval Bantiyan was located past 7 p.m., also on Tuesday.
Rescue operations are ongoing for the three other miners: Daniel Segundo Paggana, 47; Lipihon Bumulyad Ayudan, 56; and Florencio Napudo Indopia, 63, all from Barangay Runruno.
Police initially presumed all the five miners were dead based on the first information that reached them.
Russel Tumapang, 29, also from Barangay Runruno, discovered the victims after getting into the tunnel in Sitio Compound at around 1 a.m. and reported it to authorities.
Police had indicated that the two rescued miners were found about 300 meters deep into the tunnel, but the other three are believed to be located in a deeper section.
Relatives, residents, and rescue personnel are hopeful that the three remaining miners are still alive. — Artemio A. Dumlao
