DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 22 -- Mayor Cezanne Fritz Diaz of Siaton, Negros Oriental ordered the sealing of a cave in the hinterland barangay of Apoloy and imposed a round-the-clock security following the deaths of two "treasure hunters" last week.

Maj. Danilo Santillan, Siaton police chief, told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday that the mayor was furious after learning about the incident at a cave in Sitio Binukgayan last Feb. 15.

"Mayor Diaz was very angry upon learning of the illegal activity and immediately ordered that the cave be sealed and to deploy barangay tanod (village watchmen) there to prevent people from getting in," Santillan said in vernacular.

Barangay Apoloy chairman Jose Pat was instructed to make sure that the area...