MANILA, Nov. 23, 2012— The Catholic Church in Camarines Norte is conducting its own investigation into the deadly mining accident in a remote village of Paracale town.
Fr. Edwin Visda, Social Action Director of the Daet diocese, said they are pushing with the probe, as he claims there are attempts to cover up the tragedy.
The priest said they are seeking to unearth what really triggered the mining accident and determine the real number of casualties.
He said “capitalists” of mining in the area would do everything to hide the real score because the accident will affect their operation and to avoid charges.
Initial reports reaching the diocese revealed that the tunnel in Barangay Palanas collapsed last Tuesday after dynamite exploded in the mine site.
“There are news reports that are contradictory to what the people there are saying about the cause of the collapse which is dynamite explosion,” Visda told Manila archdiocese-run Radio Veritas.
“The sad news of course is that the financier will not admit this because of his liabilities to the law but that’s what really happened why there are eight tunnels that collapsed,” he said.
Three mining workers were confirmed dead as retrieval efforts continue for several others that might have been trapped and feared dead.
“Logically, if there are eight holes, there could have been more than three people there,” said Visda.
According to him, it is the fourth such incident in Paracale this year. The others, he said, were not reported in the media because mining operators managed to cover them up. (CBCPNews)
