Bomb-sniffing canine saves handler’s life in Zamboanga

Officer Manuel Ynid owes his life to his partner; a bomb-sniffing Belgian Malinois named Diego. The canine saved the handler’s life by alerting him to a bomb concealed in a cardboard box seconds before the device exploded on the streets of the tumultuous southern city of Zamboanga.

City police spokesman Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca.Police said on Monday that Ynid Diego were part of a team that was investigating an earlier explosion at a massage parlour. They happened upon a cardboard box, and – as Ynid moved toward the package – Diego reacted, indicating the presence of a bomb.

The handler and his dog moved away from the box in the nick of time. They had gotten a few meters away when the bomb exploded, injuring Ynid. Diego, who has been a member of the canine unit for three years, was unharmed.

According to authorities, the improvised explosive device (IED) was made from ammonium nitrate, and was possibly detonated with the use of a mobile phone. They have yet to determine who was responsible for the blast. .

Ynid is in stable condition, while Diego has been given a week of downtime to recuperate from the stress of the incident.

Last month, Diego – who has been a member of the canine unit for three years – also sniffed out a bomb that had been planted in a public square.

Zamboanga is a hotspot of Muslim rebel activity.