Last trapped miner in Benguet gold field recovered -- police
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/04/2008 3:32 PM
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Police on Saturday confirmed that the last miner trapped in a gold mine's tunnel in Itogon, Benguet has been rescued.
Chief Superintendent Eugene Martin, Cordillera regional police director, said Joseph Annayasan was rescued by his relatives from the Goldfield Antamok in Itogon around 3 p.m. Friday.
Martin said Annayasan was brought to the police by his relatives. Annayasan has a pending warrant of arrest for a case of robbery.
Earlier reports said Annayasan had already been spotted by government rescuers at the level 700 of the goldfield. However, the miner reportedly disappeared when the rescuers came back for him.
Officials said Annayasan could have been trying to evade the warrant of arrest.
Martin said Annayasan was temporarily released back to his family. He said the police will bring the miner to the Baguio General Hospital for a checkup.
Annayasan was the last of the 16 miners recovered from the flooded gold field. Six of the miners were recovered dead.
The miners were trapped after entering the gold field at the height of Typhoon Nina late September.
