MANILA, Philippines—A private contractor of the Pasig River rehabilitation project dug up a 65-year-old battle tank off Manila’s South Harbor over the weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard said Wednesday.

Commander Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesperson, led the inspection of the Sherman M4-A1 tank which personnel of Kwan Sing Construction Corp. accidentally recovered while conducting dredging operations near the breakwater in Baseco Compound, Tondo, early Saturday.

According to Balilo, the tank was commonly used by the US military during World War II.

Fearing that the tank still contained explosives, he said barge operator Alex Froilan immediately informed the Coast Guard about their find.

“When we checked it, we found several bullets for Garand rifles inside the tank,” Balilo told the Inquirer.

He added that the recovery of the tank bolstered the belief of some residents that a US military ship sank in the area at the height of a fierce battle between American and Japanese troops in the 1940s.

He noted that a vintage cannon was also discovered in the same spot two months ago.

According to Balilo, the tank would be brought by Barge Waling-waling to the Coast Guard headquarters in Pier 15 on Thursday for safekeeping.

“We will immediately inform US Embassy officials and the National Historical Institute because they might be interested in the tank,” he said.