High-powered firearms seized at South Harbor

MANILA, Philippines - Combined government security forces engaged in securing the country’s sealanes and seaports intercepted Tuesday evening at the Manila South Harbor a cache of high-powered firearms bound for Zamboanga City.

Now under the custody of Task Force Sea Marshal following its seizure were six M14 rifles, a 22 caliber rifle, three banana-type magazines for M16 rifle and a bolt for cal. 60 machinegun, Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said. The disassembled firearms were found carefully hidden inside three Balikbayan boxes bound for Zamboanga City. Also found inside the shipment consigned to a certain Radzmal Arijan of Baliwasan Seaside, Zamboanga City was a letter written in Arabic.

PCG-National Capital Region chief Commodore Luis Tuason yesterday said that while they are still conducting an investigation to determine if an individual or a group are behind the weapons shipment, the authorities do not erase the possibility that there was deception because it was intended to violate the law. “These kinds of firearms are not allowed to be owned by private individuals so this raises the possibility that it would be used in preparation for the elections, for terrorist activities or for criminal activities such as kidnap for ransom,” said Tuason.

Arevalo further said the illegal shipment was detected as the three boxes labeled to contain speaker baffles passed through a routine X-ray check at the South Harbor’s baggage and luggage inspection area. “This is another success for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard and other government security personnel that tightened security procedures in all ports of entry to deny terrorists Abu Sayyaf any outside support,” Arevalo said.

PCG commander Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, meanwhile, said that Task Force Sea Marshal will be coordinating with the Philippine National Police to determine the source of the high-powered firearms.

The military, on the other hand, is also conducting its own parallel investigation to determine if the arm shipment is intended for the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu.

Authorities are now verifying the information in the manifest that the shipper was a certain Vanessa Lopez of V. Mapa Street, Sta. Mesa, Manila and it was consigned to Radzmal Aridjane of Baliwasan, Seaside, Zamboanga City.