COTABATO CITY — Authorities are investigating the discovery of a serviceable rifle grenade high explosive inside the office of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Barangay Rosary Heights 7 on the morning of March 4, raising concerns about security inside government facilities.
According to the Cotabato City Police Office (CCPO), the explosive device was discovered at around 10:40 a.m. inside a storage room of the GSIS building.
Initial reports from Police Station 2 said the grenade was first spotted by a utility personnel who was conducting routine cleaning inside the storage room. Upon seeing the suspicious object, the worker immediately informed the duty security guard, who then secured the item and brought it to the guard house before alerting authorities.
Police officers from Police Station 2, led by PCPT Anuar M. Mambatao, promptly responded to the scene together with investigators and other units of the CCPO to assess the situation.
To ensure the safety of employees and the facility, responding officers coordinated with the City Explosive and Canine Unit (CECU-BAR), which carried out safety procedures and verification of the device.
Authorities later confirmed that the recovered explosive was a rifle grenade high explosive that remained serviceable, meaning it was still capable of detonating.
Despite the alarming discovery, no injuries or damage were reported during the incident.
Police have launched an ongoing investigation to determine how the explosive device ended up inside the GSIS office and whether any individual may be held accountable for the incident.
Authorities are also reviewing security measures within the government building to prevent similar incidents and to ensure the safety of employees and the public accessing the facility.
The discovery of the explosive inside a government office has prompted heightened vigilance as investigators continue to trace the origin of the device and determine if it poses any broader security concern in the area.