BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
The burning rock that fell on the grounds of the Negros Occidental High School in Bacolod City on June 4 needs further test to ascertain if it is, indeed, a meteorite, the school’s principal, Mario Amaca, said yesterday.
Amaca said a science research specialist from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Mines and Geosciences Bureau visited the school yesterday to examine the rock.
Arnel Angleo Oralde, science research specialist of the DENR-MGB, said that a magnetic test should be conducted, or a portion of the rock chipped off to study its component to ascertain if it is indeed a meteorite.
The stone will be shipped to the National Museum in Manila once travel restrictions are eased to subject it to confirmatory testing, but, in the meantime, the school will keep the stone, Amaca said.
On Sunday, a representative from the National Museum saw a photo of the rock and claimed there is about 80 percent probability that it is a meteorite. The burning rock fell near the guards’ barracks in the school premises at about 4 p.m. on June 4, and destroyed a Gmelina tree.*
