DAVAO CITY, Philippines — During this year’s 39th Kadayawan Festival, an unusual incident involving explosive ordnance has raised serious questions about the authenticity of reports and the integrity of statements made to authorities.
On August 16, Lawyer Arcelito “Archie” Albao reported that a concerned citizen had handed over three pieces of unexploded ordnance to Barangay Lapu-Lapu through Kagawad Ferdinand Malicdem.
Malicdem promptly notified the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which led to media coverage of the event.
According to Police Lieutenant Delson Jun Pajota of the Davao City Explosive Ordnance and Canine Unit (CECU), the ordnance—marked with the label CNR PS1-0816-2024-30—was collected from Barangay Lapu-Lapu.
The EOD/K9 team, working with Albao, identified the ordnance as one 81mm high-explosive mortar round and two 60mm high-explosive mortar rounds, all believed to be vintage World War II munitions. These items showed significant rust and corrosion, indicating long-term exposure to the elements.
Initial examinations, including a SCANX portable x-ray, classified the mortars as unexploded ordnance (UXO). However, they were deemed unserviceable and posed minimal risk of detonation under normal conditions due to incomplete fuzing systems.
The Doubts
Discrepancies in the account of how the ordnance was discovered led Acting Davao City Police Chief Colonel Hansel Marantan to initiate a more detailed investigation.
Marantan, a former Chief of the Philippine Bomb Data Center, was concerned by conflicting statements and the timing of the discovery.
The Sta. Ana Police investigation revealed inaccuracies in Kagawad Malicdem’s initial account. It was found that the ordnance was actually surrendered to Malicdem by Allan Sarmiento, a 53-year-old laborer, on August 15, 2024.
Sarmiento confirmed that he had discovered the ordnance while cleaning the house of Engr. Armand Doron, who had previously found the items during an excavation. Contrary to Malicdem’s original statement, the ordnance was not found in a garbage bin but rather in a stockroom at the Doron residence.
Sarmiento also stated that Mrs. Lilibeth Doron, Engr. Doron’s wife, had instructed him to turn the ordnance over to the proper authorities. Malicdem later admitted to the Sta. Ana police that he had been advised to falsely report the discovery as coming from the garbage bin.
The truth
In a video statement, Sarmiento alleged that he had been coerced into providing a false account and publicly apologized, saying, “I was told to say that the bomb was turned over to me and that the man left immediately. I was afraid, but they said it was okay.”
Both Malicdem and Sarmiento have since issued affidavits to correct their earlier statements. This case has raised significant concerns about the authenticity of the incident and the integrity of the information provided to authorities.
As the investigation progresses, many Davaoeños are questioning whether the mortar incident was orchestrated or manipulated.
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Mortar incident in Davao raises questions of authenticity
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