Vintage bombs probably used as ‘booby trap’: archaeologist

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

THE location, arrangement and the number of bombs found on the coastline of Kawit Island could have been part of the tactical defense of the Japanese soldiers during World War II, a Cebuano archeologist said.

The Japanese soldiers who occupied Cebu could have lined up and booby-trapped the bombs along coastlines to defend against invading American troops, archaeologist Jojo Bersales told Sun.Star Cebu, referring to bombs that were dug up at the South Road Properties in Cebu City last week.

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“The 50-kilogram aerial bombs blew up the landing vehicle tanks or landing career tanks and big barges during the Talisay City landing,” he added.

There were three identified American landings in Cebu Province: Talisay City, Toledo City and Pinamungajan town.

Bersales related that at the Talisay City landing on March 26, 1945, the American forces were surprised that there was no resistance or gunfire from the beach.

But the coastline was lined with land mines that exploded and damaged tanks and barges, so the second wave of the invading forces got caught in “traffic” at the Cansojong beach.

Guerilla intelligence

The Americans knew about the land mines left along the beach, as they could have been
told by the guerillas beforehand.

At that time, the head of the Filipino resistance group was Col. Leonardo “Nards” B. Abalo, the guerilla army intelligence officer.

Bersales shared his opinion that American forces that took over after the Japanese occupation did not clear the beaches of land mines.

“They were so busy going to the north (of Cebu), so busy ending the war,” he added.

The battle in Cebu Province mostly took place in the North of the island, which is evidenced by spent shells and bombs found in Catmon town.

In 2008, the Municipal Government of Catmon loaned a vintage bomb to the Museo Sugbo, located on M.J. Cuenco Ave. The bomb is on display at the Panghinumdum sa Gubat (Remembering the War) gallery on the second floor.

Once a bell

The 500-pound bomb, which was defused and emptied of chemical contents, and was once used as a bell and hung on the second floor of Catmon Municipal Hall.

“The war went to the north because the Japanese withdrew to the north. There was war in Catmon. Many bombs were found there and most were used in bombings. There were also spent shells,” said Bersales.

As they were preparing to leave, American soldiers had the chance to defuse the bombs that were left behind.

“Why the chemicals were not removed, only the Americans can explain that," he said.

Bersales said there is information available for military officials as to where the land mines are located and how many of these are buried in Cebu and in different parts of the country.

“The Americans have records but they brought all these with them when they left (the country). These are at the National Archives Record Administration in Washington, D.C.,” he said.

“Today, they are offering to digitize these records with cost to the Philippines,” he added.