Authorities excavated up to 40 pieces of various types of explosives at a junk shop in Barangay Nungnungan II, Cauayan City, Isabela, on Wednesday.
According to Police Lt. Oliver Salamero, chief of the Isabela provincial explosives and canine unit, they conducted excavations at the junk shop after receiving information from its leadership about the bombs buried there from the time of World War II.
Among those recovered were 155-mm high explosives and 105-mm projectile high explosives.
Steel traders from various areas have allegedly sold vintage bombs to junkshop staff in recent years, according to the owner.
Since they had already accumulated, he decided to bury them in a pit 5 meters deep behind the junk shop.
PECU warns those who see these types of explosives that they are dangerous especially if they are not properly stored or disposed of.
40 pieces of World War 2-era explosives excavated in Isabela
They are now in their custody of the excavated bombs that were planned to be detonated in the town of Capas, Tarlac.
PECU will also continue to patrol the junk shops to see if there are any hidden old bombs and to also teach the owners how to check the ones sold in their steel.
In March last year, a civil engineer was killed after a vintage bomb exploded while he was trying to saw it using an electric steel grinder in Barangay Maligo in Polomolok town, Cotabato.
The body of the victim, Engr Vincent Claus Degula, 40 years old, was almost torn into pieces when the vintage bomb exploded around 7 am. The victim was from Cebu City and lived in Purok Hechanova, Brgy. Poblacion, Polomolok, South Cotabato.
According to Lt. Col. Marvin Duadua, chief of the Polomolok Municipal Police, the explosion took place at the home of the victim’s friend, where he was overseeing an infrastructure project.
The engineer pushed through despite the warnings from friends that the bomb could explode and attempted to cut off the bomb until it exploded.
The victim died instantly, and his body was nearly severed as two of his companions were thrown a few meters away and sustained bruises.