Miner’s killing prove small scale mining alive

September 5, 2020 Provincial

The brutal killing of a “camote” miner in Itogon Saturday night, might just have passed as yet only one of those peace and order issues. Though probing further, it was that of the lingering disregard of the existing national government’s ban against small-scale mining in Itogon, Benguet.
A miner was thrown into a ravine early Sunday morning, after he was struck with a huge stone by his supposed friends whom he had too much to drink Saturday night.
Policemen found Eddie Lumbag, a native of Besao, Mt. Province from a 15-meter ravine along Lower Midas, barangay Ucab, Itogon, early morning Sunday after they were alerted of two males with bloodied hands near the spot where the miner was found.
Jommel Yong-an Saliong, 31, from Magsaysay, Loakan, in Baguio City and Raymond Butigan Butoeg, 25 yrs old, from Purok 3, KM 4, Asin Rd, also in Baguio City, both miners, were caught at their by pursuing policemen at their temporary mine shelter at Riverside, Virac, Itogon, also on Sunday morning.
Benguet police director Col. Elmer Ragay said illegal mining activities in the mining district in Itogon should have stopped since last year, after the environment department banned all unsanctioned mining activities in the area pending approval of their “Minahang Bayan” applications.
He admitted though that some have gone “guerillastyle” in Itogon. Itogon police, he said, had been catching them.
Recent government records placed some 20,000 camote miners are “employed” at the then called “gold rush” in Itogon. Various fatal incidents of chocking and other work safety-related incidents had continued to occur in the area, especially during the rainy season when landslides along mountain slopes perennially occur.
Itogon mayor Victorio Palangdan, who had earlier been leading mine portal closure operations in the past, is indisposed as of press time.
AA