1,000-lb bomb, 28 vintage bombs ready for disposal

A 1,000-POUND vintage bomb uncovered in Asiatown IT Park in 2010 will be included in the disposal of the 28 vintage bombs found in Kawit Island once the C4 will be available in Cebu.

“Based on the recommendation of Maj. Carlito Lachica (Explosives and Ordnance Division chief), we will include this in the disposal. This will help in detonating the 28 other vintage bombs,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus, Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (AFP Centcom) spokesman.

Tampus also said that Centcom chief Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva informed him that the request for additional C4 blocks from Camp Aguinaldo had been approved.

Villanueva told Tampus that the C4 would be brought by Camp Aguinaldo personnel to Cebu from the 7th Forward Service Support Unit in Manila.

He, however, didn’t give a specific time when the C4 would arrive.

check area

Tampus also said that Villanueva recommended to Camp Aguinaldo to check the area if there are other bombs there.

“He recommended to have metal detectors survey the area to make sure that no bombs would remain,” said Tampus.

Philip Zafra, chief of staff of Mayor Michael Rama, for his part, said the 28 vintage bombs remain secured by police in Kawit Island until the C4 would arrive and the bombs would be transported to Toledo City for disposal.

“Gahuwat na lang ta nga ma-release na ang mga C4 pero ato na gi- prepare tanan aron smooth sailing tanan,” said Zafra.

Zafra said the city government was also tapping the assistance of private construction firms to help them transport the bombs from Kawit Island to the Carmen Copper Corp. compound.

He said they needed from six to seven trucks to bring the bombs to Toledo City for disposal at a still-undetermined date.

arrangements

Zafra also outlined the arrangements for the transport and disposal of the bombs.

City police personnel will escort the trucks to make sure that the 50-kilometer travel to Toledo City from the city will be uninterrupted at a 60 kph speed.

Personnel from the Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) will board the trucks to make sure that the bombs are in place during the travel.

Meanwhile, Centcom officials denied Zafra’s earlier request to keep two of the vintage bombs for display at Fort San Pedro during the task force meeting on Wednesday.

“Dili kuno pwede kay it’s very expensive and risky according to experts from EOD,” said Zafra.

Centcom officials, however, recommended to instead take pictures of the bombs and have this pictures hanged in a portion of Fort San Pedro museum./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Chito O. Aragon