World War II-era explosives, hand grenade discovered at UP-PGH
Construction workers have unearthed two World War II-era explosives and a hand grenade inside the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital in Manila.
The projectiles were discovered while workers dug to construct a septic tank in the afternoon of July 7. Members of the Manila Police District Bomb Disposal Unit were dispatched to handle the explosives.
"'Yung aming na-identify 'yung sinasabing vintage bomb na 'yun ay 75mm projectile explosive and one piece of type 79 Japanese hand grenade," MPD Police Chief Master Sergeant Ernesto Rivera of EOD K9 Unit told ABS-CBN News.
He added that the explosives are still dangerous and could explode, despite their corroded condition.
Rivera also told GMA News that vintage bombs are usually discovered in Intramuros and Manila Bay.
On July 7, several media outlets shared an advisory from the UP-PGH Physicians' Association 2025, which warned the public to avoid Salcedo Hall and its immediate vicinity following the discovery.
"This information has been officially confirmed by the administration, and they are currently coordinating with the Occupational Health and Safety Committee to ensure the safety of all personnel," it said on Monday.
The PGH, located in the UP Manila campus, opened its doors to the public in 1910. During the Battle of Manila in 1945, the buildings of UP Manila were heavily damaged.
Father Marlito G. Ocon, SJ, the chaplain of UP-PGH, recalled in a Facebook post how the Manila hospital served as an emergency hospital for civilians and soldiers in 1945.
"It was one of the few major buildings that remained standing after the city’s devastation, though it suffered damages and great loss within," he wrote.
Ocon also shared how, during renovations in the PGH chapel, human skeletal bones wrapped in a sack with a T-shirt reading "Bagong Silang" were found previously.
The recovered explosives are temporarily stored in a secure location and will be detonated in Tarlac.
