Bombs to be detonated in Balamban

CEBU, Philippines - All 23 vintage bombs unearthed at the Kawit Point in the South Road Properties will be detonated in Barangay Biasong Balamban as recommended by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command.

The AFP Central Command made the recommendation after the initial disposal site in Carmen town failed the safety requirement.

Military officials together with the officials from the Cebu City government and the Special Weapons and Tactics yesterday inspected the area in sitio Rockyhills, Barangay Poente, Carmen but bomb disposal experts rejected the area because of its proximity from the highway and the presence of high tension wires. The site, which has an excavated portion, is also located few meters from a poultry farm.

Centcom personnel said that the explosion of the 23 bombs can cause the high tension wires nearby to inflame and may cause the transformer to explode.

The ideal site is somewhere 300-meter radius far from residential houses. The site they visited is far from residential houses but near a poultry farm.

Centcom bomb experts said that the area could have been ideal had it not because of the tension wires and the poultry farm. The excavated portion could have lessened the noise that the explosion would create.

Their last option, Centcom said, is in Biasong, Balamban where they have detonated several bombs in the past. But the area also poses some problems because the site is some two-kilometer walk from the plain surface.

“We have some reservations in Balamban kay we heard tungasunon kuno ang area. That is why we tried to find an alternative site but it appears that we have no other choice,” said Philip Zafra, Chief of Staff of Mayor Michael Rama. He represents the mayor since the latter is out of the country.

Zafra said that Centcom requested for manpower because the bombs will have to be manually transported up in the mountain.

Each bomb weighs more or less 150 pounds and Zafra said one person cannot carry it alone. There must be two to four persons to hand-carry the bombs. It might take them one hour to complete the two-kilometer walk including rest times.

Centcom personnel said that they cannot rush to the area with the bombs because they have to be careful in handling it. Bombs are naturally sensitive to shock, friction and heat especially the three General Purpose bombs that has a fuse and one bomb that was exposed when hit by the heavy equipment during the excavation.

The bombs are active, therefore, it can explode anytime in the absence of proper handling.

Zafra said that the city government will provide what the Centcom needs to dispose off the bombs. They need to buy devices and other materials such as C4 explosives, time fuse, detonator cord, blasting caps, among others.

The city is also planning to tap the Field Training Police to manually transport the bombs because they have trainings on proper handling of explosives.

They also plan to use a helicopter, if possible, to transport the bombs up in the mountain. — (FREEMAN)