Live vintage bomb found at Araullo High School

A live vintage bomb was found inside the compound of a public high school in Ermita, Manila yesterday afternoon.

The bomb, a 19-mm anti-tank projectile, was unearthed by a backhoe operator while digging the foundation of a proposed four-story school building inside the compound of Araullo High School in Taft Avenue.

SPO2 Pablito Celeste, of the Manila Police District’s Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD), said the bomb is capable of exploding and could inflict considerable damage and injury if accidentally detonated.

Fortunately, the bomb was discovered on a Saturday when there were no classes. "(The bomb) could create panic among the students," said the school’s security guard.

Security officials have alerted workers on the site of the construction since there may be other vintage bombs buried in the area.

Security personnel said they will advise construction workers to go slow with their diggings to avoid hitting any buried explosives.

Sources told The STAR that the school site once served as a Japanese garrison during World War II.

There were also accounts that a lot of unexploded bombs dropped from aircrafts during the Liberation of Manila lie buried in the city.

EOD personnel brought the recovered vintage bomb to their headquarters for safekeeping.