Two men died in separate incidents in the tunnel they themselves dug in Davao City and Davao de Oro.

In Davao City, a 54-year-old man died inside the tunnel in Barangay Saloy, Calinan District.

Personnel of the Davao Central 911 and the Bureau of Fire Protection-Davao (BFP-11) launched a rescue operation after receiving information that the man failed to come out.

Rescuers retrieved him after an hour from the tunnel, which was already filled with water.

According to the man’s wife, she and her husband went to their farm morning on Friday, July 25, 2025.

While she was wrapping cacao fruits, her husband reportedly entered the tunnel. She went home first to prepare food but her husband failed to return, prompting her and their child to return to the area to search for him the following morning.

“Unya sige mi og tawag didto sa bangag. Naa man didto iyang mga bag, gamit, sundang, ang oranay niya, mga baon niya didto, wala man jud natandog, duda namo wala jud to kagawas ba. Sige mi og tawag unya mao to wala man jud nitubag, giadto sa akong anak, iyang giiwagan didto kay ngitngit man, iwag siya didto, naa ra man jud diay sa ilalum,” the man’s wife, Lanie Tac-on, said.

“Gina-treasureran man siguro na. Dugay na man gud na. Katong (adlaw) kay nanghiram man siya og sprayer gani nga naay makina, nisulod siya didto unya mao to ang iyang gidala. Iya sigurong gidala sa ilalum kay hose naman ang naasa gawas,” she added.

Authorities believe the man may have suffocated inside the tunnel while using a gas-operated equipment to drain water. The minimal amount of carbon dioxide inside the tunnel may have caused the suffocation.

DAVAO DE ORO INCIDENT

Meanwhile, a 37-year-old man died after he was allegedly buried when the tunnel he dug collapsed in Barangay Tuboran, Mawab, Davao de Oro.

Responders retrieved the victim’s body from the site and tried to revive him before rushing him to the hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.

The tunnel is about seven meters deep.

According to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the man and his two companions started digging on Monday, July 21, 2025 allegedly to mine for gold.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is reaching out to the man’s family for a statement, as of this writing.

MDRRMO has coordinated with other agencies to implement measures aimed at ending illegal mining operations in the town.