CAGAYAN DE ORO City — A hidden cave, a potential tourist destination in this city was accidentally found during an ongoing road widening project related to a new bridge construction in the hinterlands barangay of Dansolihon, the City Local Environment Office (CLENRO) announced on Wednesday.

In an advisory, the CLENRO reminded residents that the cave entrance which was exposed when the hill was cut and the topsoil removed is off-limits to the residents in the area.

Residents are advised going inside is illegal under Republic Act 9072 otherwise known as “Natural Cave and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act and Republic Act 9147” otherwise known as “An Act Providing for the Conversation and Protection of Wildlife Resources and their Habitat.”

The Clenro head Armin Cuenca said the interview was issued after the discovery of the cave was reported on social media and some residents began entering and exploring the cave marveling at its untouched natural beauty and spectacular formations of stalactites and stalagmites.

Aside from the Cave Cuenca also revealed an underground river in the hinterlands of the city.

“Aside from the underground river there are also other caves that is under exploration and evaluation and its location cannot yet be developed under the law,” he said.

Cuenca said under the law it’s unlawful to enter and gather minerals until the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has fully explored and classified the cave as ideal for tourism and other development projects within the period of one year.

Violation of the said laws carries a penalty from P20,000 to P500,00 and imprisonment from two to six years.

The newly discovered cave is the second cave discovered in Cagayan de Oro City that houses a colony of bats and a possible tourist destination in the city.

The Macahambus which was the site of the 4 June 1900 Battle of Macahambus during the Philippine-American war was developed and declared a tourist destination equipped with path and walkable scenic trails. One end of the cave leads to a veranda overlooking the Cagayan River. About 200 meters from the case there is a dot line referred to as the Macahambus Gorge.