2 nabbed for smuggling 1,415 kilos of P1 coins

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested two men in Pasig City Monday as they were transporting 1,414.85 kilos of P1 coins they intend to ship to China.

Generoso Bronola and Ruel Juntilla surrendered when they were cornered by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) field office in the Eastern Police District (EPD) along Marcos Highway at about 1 p.m. Monday.

Bronola and Juntilla claimed they were on their way to deliver the coins to a buyer somewhere in Manila.

EPD director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said the CIDG team noticed the suspects’ L-300 van (REK-729) seemed to be overloaded, and its license plates were dirty.

During tactical interrogation, Bronola and Juntilla admitted they were about to deliver the shipment to a buyer in Binondo Manila, who would later ship them to China.

Police are readying economic sabotage charges against Bronola and Juntilla, who are detained at the CIDG-EPD field office headquarters in Pasig City.        – Non Alquitran