Centcom opposes proposal to preserve vintage bombs
The military rejected a request to display in Fort San Pedro two of the 25 recently discovered World War II bombs for public viewing.
Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus, spokesman of the Central Command, said displaying the bombs was too risky.
He said their immediate goal is to detonate and dispose of all bombs.
He cited as an example the accidental explosion in Taugig, Metro Manila that killed some policemen who tried to dismantle a vintage bomb in a welding shop.
Some World War II veterans earlier contacted Philip Zafra, chief of staff of the Cebu City Mayor, expressing their support to display two of the 24 vintage bombs at Fort San Pedro.
The Cebu City government and representatives of Dakay Construction will dig holes in an abandoned pit of Carmen Copper Corp. in Toledo City today as part of preparations to detonate the remaining vintage bombs.
Zafra said they will dig five to seven holes in the ground.
A closed-door meeting was held yesterday with representatives of the mayor’s office, Centcom’s Explosives d Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, Bureau of Fire Protection and Cebu City Risk Reduction Disaster Council.
The Cebu city government requested the Armed Forces for 125 packs of C4 explosives.
Zafra earlier sent an urgent request to Camp Aguinaldo to release supplies of C4 explosives after a test blast on Friday showed that a booster charge from industrial supplies of the mining firm were only strong enough to dent a one-inch metal plate.
Zafra said he hopes the military-grade C4 packs will arrive soon.
He refused to say how much the city has to spend for these.
Tampus said Centcom didn’t have enough C4 explosives in their supply and needed clearance from superiors to get more.
He said City Hall welcomes the offer of Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district to reinforce the request to the military to provide C4 explosives.
There is also a plan to include three vintage bombs found in Toledo City in the detonation. But Zafra said experts still have to identify the kind of bombs found and decide if it’s safe to include them.
Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, Police Regional Office (PRO) chief, said a committee should be formed to dispose of the 24 bombs which were excavated in the shores of Kawit Island, South Road Properties last week. Katreena Bisnar, Correspondent with Correspondents Chito Aragon and Gabriel C. Bonjoc
