Capas, Tarlac—About 617 pieces of explosives seized in separate operations by the National Capital Region Police Office were detonated and disposed during bomb disposal operation at the Crow Valley Gunnery Range in this town Monday.
The items were mostly unexploded explosive ordnance (UXOs), either dud bombs and Remnants of War (ERW) and military ordnance under NCRPO custody since their recovery, said NCRPO Director Police Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas during an interview at the site over the weekend.
The explosive materials include explosive remnants of the Second World War, military encampment and abandoned cache of military ordnance, fired shells, artilleries and UXO, “which poses a great peril to the safety of the community,” Sinas said.
Part of the UXOs were kept in a makeshift storage area of operating units such as the District Explosive and Canine Unit (DECU) and Station Explosive and Canine Unit (SECU). This condition is highly prejudicial to the surrounding community and nearby areas, the NCRPO chief said.
After detonation, Sinas said these materials will no longer pose potential hazard and destruction to the community and the populace, considering specially their nature as most of them were UXOs.
Military ordnances include projectiles, rocket warheads, grenades, small arms ammunition, pyrotechnics, flares, firecrackers, propellants, blasting caps, and other highly dangerous explosive materials, the largest of which were 1,000-pound general purpose bombs.
The safe disposal of explosive ordnance is part of the NCRPO’s program for internal security, as they are often being utilized to cause severe damage to the lives and properties of the people.
The safe disposal of the explosive devices was done together with expert NCRPO-EOD personnel who were exceptionally trained in the methods, skills and procedures in locating and rendering safe all types of explosive ordnance.
“Ultimately, I would like to commend the effort of everyone who risked their lives and relentlessly worked their way to recover these extremely hazardous items for the sake of public safety,” said Sinas.