City of San Fernando—Several cases of live ammunition for different kinds of firearms were unearthed by a heavy equipment operator at a housing project ain Barangay Panipuan here Monday, police said.
Police Lt. Colonel Paul Gamido, chief of the City of San Fernando police, said the ammunition was apparently buried by the owner to conceal them and avoid being questioned should they be found by authorities under his possession.
“Siguro sa takot ng may ari na baka makwestyun sya dahil sa dami ng bala kaya ibinaon nito para hindi sya makasuhan,” said Gamido, adding that mere possession of even a single bullet without a permit is punishable by law.
Gamido said investigators are still determining the owner of the ammunition found in a shallow pit in Purok 6, situated within the housing project of Baque Construction.
Joshua Artaga, the heavy equipment operator, said he accidentally dug up four metal cases carrying 17 magazines of ammunition for 5.56 caliber (M16) rifle, six empty magazines for the same type of firearm, and another case of caliber .22 live bullets.
Gamido said investigators were dispatched immediately and cordoned off the area to ensure safety during the retrieval of the buried ammo, which was brought to the police station for custody.
Policemen were directed to probe further who the owner of the bullet cache might be.