Two vintage bombs sought for display in Fort San Pedro

The Fort San Pedro in Cebu City already has a World War II cannon, so why not two World War II vintage bombs?

Philip Zafra, chief of staff of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, said a group of WW II veterans and others have texted him to express their support to have two of the 24 vintage bombs on display at the Fort’s grounds.

They said it would be nice if the bombs were displayed beside a World War II cannon that stands at the Fort San Pedro’s entrance.

Zafra said he asked the Central Command’s Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) if it was possible.

Fort San Pedro, a former military camp that the national government declared as a heritage site, houses a museum.

The bombs were found by construction workers at the shores of Kawit Island, South Road Properties (SRP).

The Capitol’s heritage consultant Jobers Bersales said he asked a former Capitol security consultant if it was possible to have the vintage bombs defused so they can be displayed at the war gallery of the province’s Museo Sugbo.

“It’s part of World War II. These are clearly Japanese bombs. They’re very much a part the way the Japanese defended Cebu,” he said in a phone interview.

Bersales, a Cebu Daily News columnist, also raised the possibility that the bombs may have been defused and buried by the Americans or Japanese soldiers in Kawit Island.

“The Americans may have found it hard to decommission all the bombs so they just probably buried them. There are a lot of it buried elsewhere after the war, mostly in coastal areas,” he said.

Bersales said he has seen vintage bombs on display at a Singapore museum.

“If it’s possible to defuse and preserve all 24 bombs why not?,” he said.

But Bersales said since the bombs were found in Cebu City, they should go to Fort San Pedro.

Zafra said the EOD team told him that they won’t recommend preserving the bombs, but they would still determine if it was possible.

He said another option is to take photos and document the bombs prior to detonation and disposal.

Zafra said even Toledo City Mayor Aurelio Espinosa asked Cebu City Fire Marshal Aderson Comar if it was possible to defuse and preserve one bomb.

“Safety remains our utmost concern, that’s why we’ll have to ask Centcom,” Zafra said.

On the recommendation of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Zafra and EOD personnel discussed with Carmen Copper Corp. about a plan to dispose of the vintage bombs at their Biga pit.

Centcom and the Cebu police detonated one bomb by using C4 at the Carmen Copper Corp.’s open mining pit in Toledo City, last Friday.

Zafra said he will meet on behalf of Mayor Rama Centcom officials to discuss how to deal with the bombs still found in Kawit Island.

Workers of Dakay Construction were told to exercise caution lest they stumble on more bombs in the site. /Doris C. Bongcac and Carmel Loise Matus