Mandaue City Council seeks military help

THE Mandaue City Council yesterday approved a resolution urging the immediate disposal of World War II stockpiled two weeks ago in a scrapyard in barangay Looc.

The council requested Maj. Carlito Lachica, the Central Command chief of the 2nd explosive ordnance disposal unit to arrange immediate disposal of the vintage bombs.

Police and military officials were earlier undecided about how to proceed, each side waiting for a formal request for assistance, while Looc residents complained about the risk of an accidental explosion.

A copy of the resolution sponsored by Councilor Diosdado Suico was sent to police chiefs of Mandaue city and the Police Regional Office.

Mandaue police escorted the transfer of 385 vintage bombs to the scrap yard of Tin Guan Trading Inc. in Looc after a grandson of the business owner disclosed their location in their residential lot in barangay Banilad last July 2.

It’s not clear, however, who will spend to transfer the bombs to a remote site or the explosives to detonate them. At least 35 pieces were classified as still active. /Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza