AFTER more than a week of attempts, the Municipal Government of Santo Tomas announced on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, that it will no longer continue its retrieval operations for the four men trapped in a 96-foot tunnel in Barangay Kinamayan, Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte.
In a joint statement forwarded to SunStar Davao, the Municipal Government and the Incident Management Team (IMT) decided to terminate the search and retrieval operation "because it is now unsafe and impractical to pursue such operation which, if continued, will endanger more lives and cause damage to private properties."
Despite exploring all options to fast-track the operation and extricate the bodies of four men trapped inside the collapsed tunnel, the IMT said the nature of its search, rescue and retrieval process is "too complex and risky."
This assessment came on September 7, the local government's ninth day of the operation, where the IMT, based on a technical assessment of the excavation, had concluded that their attempt was "untenable and very dangerous."
"The decision comes after the Extrication Team discovered that the tunnel was submerged with ground water and continuing the search and retrieval operation will endanger the lives of personnel due to the high exposure to risk in performing whatever ground works below the tunnel and under the excavated area," the Municipal Government said in a statement.
Prior to this, the Barangay Council of Kinamayan submitted a manifesto or a public declaration, urging IMT to immediately stop the operation.
The manifesto stated that further excavation in the area would destroy nearby residential properties given the ground instability of the excavated area.
The GKK San Isidro Labrador, also located nearby, submitted a similar appeal to the IMT with the concurrence of the respective GKK members.
The IMT acted on both manifestos, which were also included in the basis of terminating their operation.
The local government immediately acted on it through a seven-hour conference, attended by Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib, Kapalong Mayor Ma. Theresa Timbol, and other IMT members, and they unanimously decided to stop the operation.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Government said they sympathize with the families of the victims.
"On behalf of all the members of the Incident Management Team, we share the grief of the families of the four men trapped in a 96-foot tunnel in Barangay Kinamayan, Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte last August 30 after a portion of the tunnel collapsed," the local government said.
"Since Day 1 of the tragic treasure hunting incident, the Municipal Government of Santo Tomas has deployed all assets -- financial, equipment, materials and personnel -- from the municipal, provincial and even from regional level using a whole-of-government approach to hasten the conduct of the search, rescue and retrieval operation," the local government added.
The victims identified as Kayl Castañeres, 18; Gerick Marquez, 23; Dindo Pañares, 18; and Rustom Rancho, 18, were trapped under the ground after the soil softened, causing the tunnel to collapse around 10 a.m. Sunday, August 30.
Santo Tomas Municipal Information Officer Mart Sambalud in a previous phone interview said the area's ground instability had been their main issue in pursuing the shoring operation.
Sambalud said the IMT conducted installation of coconut timbers to further strengthen the area and avoid structural collapse when excavation commenced.
Meanwhile, he said the local government already provided assistance to the bereaved families.
Santo Tomas Mayor Ernesto Evangelista immediately ordered an investigation on the incident, and issued an order to conduct ocular inspection and closure of the existing tunnels with no permit to operate from the local government.
The persons behind the tunnel are now being investigated and charges are being eyed against them.
Sambalud also said they will also investigate the barangay officials of where the collapsed tunnel was located, and determine their lapses in the incident.