CEBU, Philippines - A 10-year-old boy was killed while his neighbor is now fighting for his life after their illegal quarry collapsed and buried them in San Fernando town last Friday.
Jecan Geraldizo, a Grade 3 pupil of the Tinubdan Elementary School, died after he was accidentally buried while hauling sand with his neighbor near a river in Barangay Tinubdan, San Fernando town, around 5:30 p.m. last Friday.
Geraldizo and 31-year-old Ponciano Alicaway, were hauling sand near the Tinubdan River in Sitio Malta when the quarry they created due to repeated hauling collapsed and subsequently buried them.
A woman who witnessed what happened quickly sought the police for help. Police and firemen arrived and helped dig out the two manually.
It was nearly evening when Alicaway was rescued. His condition was serious due to a neck injury. The boy was rescued next. His body was already cold and darkening when dug out.
The boy was rushed to the South General Hospital in Naga City but was pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. Benjamin Bautista.
Alicaway was also taken to the same hospital but was soon transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for further medication owing to his very serious condition, said police.
It was supposed to be the last time for the victims to haul sand that day, said PO1 Nigel Bernabe, case investigator of the San Fernando Police Station.
“Gitambagan sila sa ilang mga paryente na sakto na kay hapon na unya ningpadayon man g’yud kay last na naman daw,” Bernabe said.
The two were supposed to sell the sand to neighbors who were constructing their houses, he said.
Bernabe said the victims would sell the sand and gravel at P15 per sack.
“So kung makahakot sila og napu ka taro, mukita na sila og P150
kada-adlaw,” he said.
Bernabe said the victims and a few residents in the sitio haul sands as a livelihood.
“Wala lagi ni sila’y panginabuhi-an, bisan delikado magkawot gyud. Gibadlong na man na sila kay illegal man pero ‘mag-guerrilla type’ man sad,” he said.
Guerilla or illegal quarrying is prohibited because apart from not having a permit, it poses dangers to the sand haulers.
However, illegal sand haulers still try to escape the detection of roving barangay tanods and carry out their operation especially at dusk, the policeman further disclosed. The two victims have also been into illegal sand hauling for some time their quarry goes an estimated 10 feet into the slope of the riverbank.
Bernabe said they will still have to talk with the boy’s parents, who are both jobless. Both victims just live near the illegal quarry.
Almost at the same time, six-year-old Nathaniel Gastador died after he was hit by a passenger bus on the national road in Barangay Bagay, Daanbantayan town, last Friday afternoon.
The Ceres bus, with license plate number GXS 601, was traveling from Cebu City to Barangay Maya, Daanbantayan when it accidentally hit Gastador who suddenly crossed the road after escaping the grip of her 18-year-old sister Annabel.
The boy, who was thrown some meters away by the collision, died immediately of severe injuries to the head and body.
Bus driver Michael Gulfan, 33, voluntarily surrendered and is now detained at the Daanbantayan Police Station. The police are now preparing charges to be filed against him if the victim’s family decides to pursue them.
