Airport construction workers Wednesday unearthed on Wednesday two unexploded vintage bombs believed to have been dropped by Japanese warplanes during World War II.
One of the bombs was found near Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (Naia) runway 13/31 while the workers were preparing to install a device called a “runway stop bar,” said Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) Operation chief Engr. Ric Medalla.
A runway stop bar is a series of unidirectional red lights embedded in the pavement at right angle to the taxiway centerline for a pilot’s visual guidance, Medalla said.
He said the workers have found the first but smaller bomb in the same area in the last week of the previous month.
Medalla said the area was formerly occupied by the Philippine Air Force.
The unexploded ordinance were turned over to the Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group for proper disposal.
Airport Manager Ed Monreal ordered security men to possibly locate more vintage bombs using metal detectors just “to make sure the premier airport is bomb-free area.”
“We might as well make sure the airport environment is safe than regret later,” Monreal said in Filipino.
Image credits: CNN Philippines