Vintage bomb unearthed at COA compound

Local

A MASSIVE 1,000-pound vintage bomb was uncovered during construction work inside the Commission on Audit-Central Visayas (COA-7) compound on Tuesday, July 8, in Barangay Tinago, Cebu City.

The explosive was discovered by backhoe operator Eric Bacus while he was excavating for a building project along MJ Cuenco Avenue corner V. Sotto Street.

Bacus, 46, is employed by a private construction company.

Police Station 3 of the Cebu City Police Office confirmed the discovery, which immediately triggered a high-risk operation to secure and eventually remove the decades-old ordnance.

Upon discovery, personnel of COA-7 sought assistance from Pat. Joseph Caṅarejo and Pat. Mark Jason Delima, who were stationed near the area.

Police Maj. Mark Don Alfred P. Leanza, along with his team aboard Mobile 20, arrived at the scene at 11:10 a.m. to assess the situation.

Specialized personnel from the Regional Explosives and Canine Unit, led by Police Lieutenant Joel Taboada, responded and carried out the extraction of the vintage bomb.

The area was declared safe after the device was recovered.

Authorities awaited the arrival of the vehicle designated to transport the explosive for proper disposal.

No injuries or property damage were reported.

The incident added to a series of similar bomb discoveries in Cebu over the years.

In December 2017, a massive 2,000-pound World War II-era bomb was discovered at a construction site near a commercial building in Cebu IT Park, Barangay Apas, according to a report from the Philippine News Agency.

The area, once part of the former Lahug Airport used during the war, was undergoing development when the ordnance was unearthed.

In response, police and military bomb squads sealed off the site and evacuated nearby residents and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) workers to ensure public safety.

Under Republic Act No. 9516, which amended Presidential Decree No. 1866, the possession, manufacture, or transport of explosives without proper authorization is prohibited.

The Philippine National Police’s Explosives and Ordnance Division and its Regional Explosives and Canine Units are responsible for handling such threats, ensuring the safe recovery, transport, and disposal of unexploded ordnance that continue to pose risks long after wartime.(MyTVCebu)