10 vintage bombs found in N Cotabato town

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 29): 10 vintage bombs found in N Cotabato town

Ten vintage bombs were recovered buried six meters deep in a farmer’s lot in Barangay Kisante in the hinterlands of Makilala, North Cotabato on Wednesday morning, police officer said Thursday. Inspector Rizal Alolod, Makilala police station’s officer-in-charge, said the unexploded ordnance were 76-MD projectiles. The bombs, however, no longer have fuse and explosive fillers so they won’t explode, he said. The bombs were discovered while digging for the grave of the late barangay councilor identified only as "Ebol", also the owner of the farm lot were the explosives were found, said village chair Danilo Dante. Around 10:30 a.m. also on the same day, operatives from North Cotabato’s Explosives and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team and 63rd EOD team from the Army arrived at Ebol’s farm and immediately cordoned off the area. Dante, citing the testimonies of the wife of the late Ebol, said the place used to be a garrison during World War II. “The father of the late Ebol could have kept the projectiles and buried them in his area after the war,” said Dante. The police and EOD operatives suspect there are still projectiles buried in Ebol’s place and other areas in Barangay Kisante.

Two years ago, Dante said they also recovered just few meters away from a school in their village two vintage bombs, which were a lot bigger in size and length from the recent find. The village official said he will meet his constituents on Thursday to discuss the matters. They believed more bombs were kept or buried in their village considering the area was once a military garrison of the Japanese Army. The recovered bombs were kept in custody of the EOD team in Kidapawan City for public safety, police said.

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