4 treasure hunters die in Bukidnon cave

Four “treasure hunters” died while reportedly searching for gold deposits inside a cave in the municipality of Kadingilan, Bukidnon.

Initially an eight-man group, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao’s Cyril Chaves reported on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, that the treasure hunters entered the cave in Sitio Tinago in Barangay Cabadiangan on Sunday in hopes of finding gold. 

However, the treasure hunters hit something that produced smoke while digging, causing four of them to suffocate. The rest managed to get out. 

“Nag-produce ito ng maraming smoke and that’s the time na parang na-suffocate na sila. So they are trying to get out of that cave,” Police Major Joann Navarro,  PRO-10 spokesperson, said. 

(They hit something that produced thick smoke and that’s the time they suffocated. They tried to get out of the cave.)

A retrieval operation was launched to recover the victims’ bodies. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office retrieved three of them as of 1 p.m. on March 12 but has yet to recover the remaining treasure hunter. 

Police said they will investigate the legality of the treasure hunting. 

 “Nananawagan po tayo sa ating mamamayan na i-report ang any illegal activities like this na nag-treasure hunting po tayo na walang permit,” said Navarro. 

(We call on the public to report any illegal activities such as treasure hunting without the proper permit.)

“Kasi aside sa nakaka-endanger ito ng buhay ng mga taong nag-engage ng treasure hunting at nakakasira rin ito sa ating kalikasan,” she added. 

(Apart from endangering their lives, it also affects the environment.) —Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News