DAVAO CITY (July 25) — Authorities are still digging a 500 pound general-purpose bomb whose tail end was discovered while clearing operating was conducted in Sector 2 in Marawi City’s Most Affected Area (MAA) Wednesday morning.
A 500 pound bomb was used extensively in the Vietnam War and during Desert Storm this series of bombs were dropped from literally every fixed-wing aircraft that supported the ground offensive.
A general-purpose bomb is an air-dropped bomb intended as a compromise between blast damage, penetration, and fragmentation in explosive effect. They are designed to be effective against enemy troops, vehicles, and buildings.
Engineer Yusoph Macalolon, of the National Housing Authority (NHA) who supervises the debris operations in Marawi told NewsLine.ph “Napansin ng contractor ang tail ng bomba kahapon ng tanghali, at tumawag agad kami ng taga EOD (Explosive and Ordnance Disposal) .”
As of this writing, Macalolon said “Hinuhukay pa nga mga taga-EOD, medyo malaki din at makabaon ng malalim.”
Colonel Romeo Brawner told NewsLine.ph “The debris management and clearing operations is now under the contractor but “Whenever they find bomb,it is their responsibility to dispose it under the supervision of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
NHA general manager Marcelino Escalada said has instructed Macalolon to make sure that workers are safe in the ground and that authorities are always informed of any development in the site.
Escalada said the contractor is now using Ground penetrating radar (GPR) to locate bombs.
GPR is a nondestructive measurement technique, which uses electromagnetic waves to locate targets or interfaces buried within a visually opaque substance or Earth material.
The GPR is used to provide forensic information in the course of criminal investigations, detect buried mines, survey roads, detect utilities, measure geophysical strata, and in other applications.
“It pains us when people refused to understand that we are always looking at their welfare and security, a reason why clearing operations is closely monitored by the EOD, the fact remains unexploded bomb are still underneath the ground,” Escalada explained.
Had it been just a clearing operations, rehabilitation could have been implemented smoothly, he added.-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph
