Farmer unearths 6 vintage artillery shells in Dalaguete

CEBU, Philippines - A farmer weeding his cornfield found at least six vintage mortar shells in Barangay Poblacion, Dalaguete yesterday morning.

Felix Sereño, 70, accidentally hit the first mortar bomb with his bolo and uncovered five more as he goes along weeding his farm.

The mortar shells were that of a size of a small bottle of a soft drink, said SPO1 Veronico Centino of the Dalaguete Police Station.

Sereño was doing his usual routine his farm at 7:00 a.m. yesterday when he stumbled on the vintage mortar shells.

The artillery shells were buried six inches underground, Centino said.

Sereño sought his neighbor’s help who informed the police of what he found.

The Dalaguete Police arrived and carefully collected the shells. These are now kept at the compound of the Dalaguete Municipal Motorpool, Centino said.

Centino said the bombs were all rusty and were believed to be remnants from the World War II.

Centino said they have already called up the Explosives and Ordnance Division of the Cebu Provincial Police Office to check on the status of the bombs.

“Ang EOD ra g’yud makaingon kung active pa ba ning mga bombaha. Taya na man sad kaayo ug gagmay sad,” the police officer said.

Experts from EOD, who were expected to go to Dalaguete yesterday, will also determine where to diffuse the bombs should it be necessary.

Last January, 25 World War II bombs were also unearthed in Kawit Island, Cebu City. The bombs, which weighed 150 pounds each, were detonated in a mining pit in Toledo City.

— (FREEMAN)