Navy nabs 11 suspected smugglers in Tawi-Tawi

MANILA, Philippines – Navy troops have apprehended 11 suspected smugglers, including two persons who claimed to be Customs employees, for trying to sneak in more than P6.42 million worth of contraband off Lamion Point in Tawi-Tawi.

In a statement, Ltjg. Rommel Rodriguez, Navy Fleet public affairs officer, said BRP Dioscoro Papa intercepted last Sunday M/L Parhata while patrolling 800 yards southeast off Lamion Point.

Rodriguez said more than 3,400 sacks of Vietnamese rice, 300 sacks of sugar and other taxable cargoes without proper documents were found on board M/L Parhata.

Eleven crewmen of M/L Parhata were brought to Customs authorities in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi for the filing of charges against them.

However, two of those arrested claimed to be Customs employees who had already confiscated the illegal items. The two were identified as Atari Misuari and Duksin Jali.

“But (Misuari and Jali) failed to present a mission order authorized by the BOC (Bureau of Customs). Moreover, they were not in their uniforms when they were caught,” Rodriguez said.

Awab Dawami, captain of M/L Parhata, said the two did not identify themselves when they boarded the vessel.

He added that he was never asked to show documents that would support the contraband on board the ship.

Rodriguez said they are now verifying if Misuari and Jali are really connected with the BOC.

The BOC has vowed to coordinate with other state agencies to run after smugglers and to meet its P280-billion target for this year.

Intensifying the drive against smugglers is one of the measures being undertaken by the government to raise revenues and to contain the budget deficit, which is expected to hit P325 billion this year.