TWO miners believed to have inhaled toxic gas were found dead deep inside a gold mine in Itogon, Benguet, last Tuesday. 

The bodies of Edgar Campus Santos and Jordan Lindayo Cortez were found in a tunnel 150 meters below the ground, police said. 

The two went into the tunnel at around 7 a.m. 

It was 2 p.m. when a co-worker, Julio Palua noticed the two had not reemerged from the tunnel. A search team was organized. 

The bodies were recovered early evening and were brought to the Benguet Corporation Field Office in Baguio Gold, Tuding, Itogon, the following day. 

Santos, 29, was a native of Purok 3, Bantug-Petines, Alicia, Isabela. Cortez, 25 hailed from Paracelis, Mountain Province. (MEC)