By Gerry Lee Gorit
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Phil. Army is looking at the chemical reaction as the possible factor that could have triggered the fire and explosion of an ammunition depot inside Camp Edilberto Evangelista, the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) last Tuesday.
According to Lt. Col. Vladimir Sta. Maria, 10th Forward Service Support Unit (FSSU) commanding officer, said the fire that has caused the explosion may have been triggered by what he called as a “chemical reaction.”
“If gunpowder is exposed to a certain environment, it may trigger a chemical reaction that may lead it to be unstable,” Sta. Maria said during the press conference called by the 4ID in the afternoon of July 12.
Although he did not elaborate on the probable cause of the fire citing technicality, Sta. Maria has noted that it was not act of sabotage.
During his visual presentation detailing the incident, Sta. Maria said Magazine 5’s doors were locked before the fire occurred indicating that there was no break-in of the facility.
Meanwhile, Phil. Army commanding general, Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said they are now investigating the incident and would recommend transferring the ammunition storage facility to a safer location to prevent the same fire.
Brawner has also assured that the Armed Forces of the Philippines has sufficient ammunition to fight against threat to national security.
“Compared to our ammunition nationwide, in all army units, this is just a very small amount. That is why this will not affect the operations of the Phil. Army, and of the AFP, against the threats to national security,” Brawner told reporters during a press conference at the 4ID Tuesday afternoon, July 12.
Brawner has also called on the communist rebels and private armed groups to surrender and return to the fold of the law.
