VINTAGE GRENADE. Lawmen in body armor inspect an unexploded grenade (on the chair) that was unearthed by construction workers in a lot in Victoria Valley Subdivision, Antipolo City on Friday (Jan. 5, 2024). The Antipolo Police's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit said there was a good chance that the old MK-2 fragmentation grenade was still "live" and potentially deadly. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Urian)
ANTIPOLO CITY – Workers at a construction site in Victoria Valley Subdivision in this city unearthed an old hand grenade on Friday while preparing to set the foundations of a new house.
Instead of leaving it where it was found, the potentially unstable device was transported to the homeowners’ association office, alarming some residents.
Harold Gonzales, security officer-in-charge of the subdivision, said they immediately called the police to remove the device and noted that there was a good chance the grenade was still “live” despite being buried for an undetermined number of years.
The device was later identified as an MK-2 fragmentation grenade, also known as “pineapple grenade,” which was commonly used by the United States forces and its allies throughout the 20th century.
Police Master Sgt. Rudy Saballero, who led the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, told subdivision authorities to advise construction workers against handling old munitions that they may uncover in the course of their jobs.
“There have been numerous cases where vintage grenades, mortar shells, and bombs have exploded because of improper handling. It is best to just leave them alone and report it to the police so they can be removed safely,” he said in Filipino.
Saballero also advised subdivision officials to carefully perform a more thorough search on the site where the grenade was located as such items are often part of a larger cache.
The bomb experts then placed the unexploded grenade inside a sand-filled container before transporting it out of the neighborhood. (PNA)
