Thursday, February 15, 2007 Bombs found outside Army camp in metro
Military bomb experts recovered a cache of explosives outside the Philippine Army (PA) headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City but authorities quickly downplayed suspicions that the recovery was related to an impending terrorist attack.
The explosives - two high explosive hand fragmentation grenades, a hand offensive grenade and a percussion cap - were recovered by explosives and ordnance experts of the Army on the eve of the second anniversary of the Valentine's Day bombings perpetrated by terrorist groups Abu Sayyaf and the radical Rajah Solaiman Movement.
Eight persons died and scores of others were injured in the 2005 Valentine's Day bombings in Makati, Davao and General Santos cities. The attacks were reportedly financed by the Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah.
Army spokesman Ernesto Torres said the explosives were recovered following information provided by Joel Reyes, 21 who found the items along Bayani road at around 11:05 a.m. Tuesday.
Torres said the area where the explosives were recovered was just outside a gate of the Army headquarters and about 15 meters away from the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Torres said an investigation of the incident is still ongoing to ascertain the identities of the people who left the bombs behind.
After seeing the explosives, Reyes called the Army's Explosives Ordnance Disposal Battalion, which immediately dispatched a team to recover the bombs.
Torres said the incident was not likely the handiwork of terrorists. "This is not a trademark our terrorists. It was not meant to hurt. It was not prepared as an improvised explosive device," said Torres, noting that the grenades were still in their casings when recovered by the experts.
He theorized that the explosives were left behind by people who have access to the equipment of soldiers. He said they are finding out to whom the explosives were issued through the lot or serial number of the grenades. (VR/Sunnex)
