Maguindanao students, folks get lessons in detecting unexploded bombs

AM DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao—Students in the province of Maguindanao and nearby areas, along with their teachers and parents, are being taught how to recognize unexploded ordnance following the discovery of such explosives even near schools.

Alfredo Lubang of the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines said in a report made available on Monday that some unexploded ordnance, such as land mines, grenades,mortars and cannon shells, were found not far from paths used by villagers, including school children in some Maguindanao barangays and areas of North Cotabato.

Many Maguindanao and North Cotabato areas were scenes of battle betwen government forces and Moro rebels in the past.

Lubang said that as part of stepped up efforts to keep people safe from unexploded ordnace, or UXOs, his group and several non-governmental organizations have produced posters providing basic information on unexploded explosives for schools and other public places. The initiative is supported by the European Union, he said.

“The poster infographics would enable schoolchildren, teachers and parents to immediately identify lethal explosives, and they are advised to inform the nearest barangay local government unit in case they see one or several of them,” Lubang said.

Aided by explosive ordnance teams, bilateral ceasefire representatives and some international observer organizations, the concerned civil society groups recovered on June 21 and July 23 dozens of unexploded ordnance, including mortar shells and grenades, in various areas of Maguindanao.

Tony Fish, program manager of the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action, said these remnants of war in Maguindanao were destroyed at a demolition site in Barangay Semba in Datu Odin Sinsuat.

“Every now and then destruction of UXOs should be done. If they make a bigger stockpile it will become dangerous for the community around the stockpiles,” Fish said.

Corinna Araneta Lopa, a peace advocate, described the collection and destruction of the UXOs as “baby steps taken toward lasting peace in Mindanao.”

Lubang said the destruction of UXOs was all about prevention and further devastation, especially “when they fall into wrong hands.”

Brig. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao, said many of such “remnants of war” may have actually found their way to terror groups.

This explains, he said, why bombs exploded in various areas of Mindanao were improvised from various kinds of conventional military ordnance.

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