Blasting caps seized in raid

CEBU, Philippines - A 61-year-old man was arrested for selling blasting caps in Sitio Pooc Mahayahay, Barangay Pasil, yesterday afternoon.

Police Regional Office-7 Director Ager Ontog was quick to assure that the explosives seized from Eduardo Ceniza and his helper Edgardo Ygot were intended for illegal fishing and not for any terrorist activity, following the Makati bus bombing.

The operation was jointly conducted by the Bomb Disposal Unit, Special Weapon and Tactics team, Investigation and Detective Management Branch, and the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office.

CCPO Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said they immediately conducted a surveillance after receiving a report from a concerned citizen about locally-made blasting caps for illegal fishing.

A transaction was then made to buy P60,000 worth of these explosive devices through a poseur-buyer and the suspect was arrested inside his house.

Police recovered from the house 10,100 blasting caps —1,100 of which were fused, eight boxes of factory-made non-electric blasting caps, a spool of fuse and almost four kilos of cyanide.

Buenafe said they have yet to coordinate with the Firearms and Explosives Division to determine the total worth of the seized items and the Land Transportation Office-7 to trace where the suspect bought the materials considering there are serial numbers printed on the packages.

Buenafe said Ceniza sells the highly explosive materials all over the region as well as Mindanao.

Ontog said Cebuanos should not be alarmed by this report because the motive of creating these materials is solely for illegal fishing.

“It is a very remote possibility because these items are commonly used for illegal fishing. We do not want to speculate that these items are to be used in terrorist activities, medyo malayo,” he said.

Ceniza, who claims to have been selling the explosives for a year now, also confirmed these were just intended for illegal fishing.

A charge for violating Section 3 or the unlawful manufacture, sale, acquisition, disposition or possession of explosives under Republic Act 8294 will be filed against the suspects, Buenafe said.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 also seized several sacks and boxes of seashells and corals in Barangay Udlot, Bogo, last Thursday.

SPO2 Willard Selibio said they failed to arrest the subject of the search warrant identified as Vicente Dungog, 50.

The operatives confiscated from the suspect’s warehouse 20 cartons of Tridachna shells, 50 sacks of Triton shells and a barrel of corals all estimated at P85,000.

The warrant was issued by Judge Soliver Peras of the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 dated last Wednesday. A charge for violation of the RA 8550 is now being prepared against the suspect.  (FREEMAN)