SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique — Antique’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has confirmed a fatality in an accident in a mining pit of the Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) in Semirara island, Caluya .
Antique PDRRM officer, Broderick Train, said in an interview that they received on Tuesday morning an incident report from the Caluya Municipal DRRM office confirming the death of the SMPC safety officer, identified as 22-year-old Lpath Felipe, on Sunday evening.
“The cause of death of the worker, however, is not clearly indicated nor had there been a bog down or landslide that happened in the Molavi Pit,” Train said.
He said the incident reportedly happened at the new mining site of SMPC, which is the Molavi Pit, just adjacent to the Panian Pit.
“The Panian Pit is now closed because of the rehabilitation work,” he said.
It is at the Panian Pit where a mine collapsed in February 2013, leaving five workers dead. Another incident in the same pit occurred in July 2015 that reportedly buried nine workers alive.
Train, however, said what happened Sunday night is not of a disaster level.
“It is work-related and solely the responsibility of the SMPC,” he said, adding that the community in Semirara island has not been affected.
“We are submitting this report to the Regional DRRM Council today,” Train said, referring to the incident report.
He said he will wait for the order from Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao and the Regional DRRMC if they are going to conduct their own investigation into the incident.
Noemi Tagle, the victim’s aunt, said the body of her nephew was brought back by SMPC workers to their residence in Caluya municipality.
She said her nephew was roving together with two foremen when the incident happened.
The two others were rescued alive by their co-workers while Felipe was brought to the Semirara hospital.
Train added that based on a report he received, the hospital team tried to revive Felipe but failed. (PNA)
