Explosives found near site of Asean meeting in Bacolod

BACOLOD CITY – Authorities recovered explosive devices near the site of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting here late Thursday.

Officials said a 60-mm mortar round, 105-mm and 81-mm projectiles were found under the Matab-ang bridge in Talisay City, along the route of the ASEAN delegates to Silay airport.

Chief Supt. Renato Gumban said a fisherman found the projectiles half submerged under the bridge as the delegates were preparing to leave the city after the two-day ASEAN meeting.

Although security was further tightened, officials downplayed a possible terror threat.

Gumban pointed out the explosives had no triggering device.

Supt. Adonis Rosales, Talisay police chief, said many vintage explosives have previously been recovered in the city.

Taking no chances, Gumban ordered security forces to secure all bridges going from Bacolod to Silay airport.

He also requested the Philippine Air Force to do flyby along the routes of delegates from their billeting area in Bacolod to the airport.

Gumban said the ASEAN meeting ended successfully without any untoward incident.

Of the 200 ASEAN meetings to be held in the country, 99 have been completed, Gumban said.

With the successful hosting, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia is requesting organizers to hold another ASEAN meeting here, he added.

More than 4,000 security personnel were deployed by Task Group Bacolod under Gumban to secure ASEAN delegates.

Chief Supt. Nestor Bergonia, a security official of the ASEAN Security Task Force, said the hosting of ASEAN meetings in key cities of the country is three times more challenging than the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in 2015.