The search and retrieval operation has been temporarily suspended in the landslide at a mining site in Toledo City in Cebu.
Biga Barangay Captain Pedro Sepada Jr. explained that it would be better to temporarily call off the operations as the soil in the area is unstable.
Four individuals were killed in the landslide while six remain missing as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Maraming beses na akong sumulat sa kanila… Grabe na yung mga bitak-bitak sa naturang portion (I’ve written a number of times… The cracks have been severe in the said portion),” Sepada revealed.
“Wala naman silang klaro at konkretong sagot sa aming mga sentimiyento (They do not have any clear and concrete answer to our sentiments),” he added.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau admitted that there were really cracks in the area but insisted that these were due to declining material from the midsection of a foundation’s portion.
“Ang bitak nasa surface. Ang landslide happened in midsection sa ibaba (The cracks were at the surface. The landslide happened midsection below). The surface indication could have been caused by loosening or the weakening of the material at the midsection of the wall, but incidentally the landslide that happened last 21st just originated from the midsection of the wall,” MGB7 Dir. Armando Malicse explained.
The concerned company has assured that it will provide assistance to the families of the victims. – Report from John Aroa/PTV Cebu
