Police want intercepted container van inventoried

Despite the discovery of three right-hand-drive cars, the Mandaue City police are still asking Customs district collector Lourdes Mangaoang to direct the inventory of the contents of the 40-foot container van with the help of a Customs examiner.

Supt. Emmanuel Ughoc, deputy director for operations of the Mandaue City Police, in a letter to Mangaoang, has requested a Customs examiner to conduct the inventory of all contents of the van.

Ughoc turned over the van to the Bureau of Customs last July 22 in compliance with the order of Mandaue City Regional Trial Court judge Ulric Canete.

The van is now at the Cebu International Port after Ughoc turned it over to Haron Baragona, chief of the Office of the Wharfinger.

Earlier, police found three right-hand-drive Mitsubishi Delica, Spacegear, and Jasper, placed at P2 million each, when the van was opened after a search warrant was secured. The consignee failed to appear at the police station to claim the cargo.

As of yesterday afternoon, Ughoc was still waiting for Mangaoang's response to their request.

Mangaoang questioned the authority of the Mandaue police when they opened the container van. She maintained that the van contained used truck parts during inspection before its release from the Customs zone.

Ughoc said he already assigned two policemen to secure the van within 24 hours at the CIP.

He said he wants to make sure that the van is properly guarded, until a Customs examiner would be able to conduct an inventory of its contents.