Coast Guard seizes boxes of ammunition, gun accessories

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard has seized several boxes of ammunition and firearms accessories in Batangas.

During the inspection of the passenger's baggage and RORO vehicles, operatives, led by Capt. Gregorio Adel Jr. of the Batangas PCG, confiscated the shipment last Mar. 7 around 5 p.m. at the Port of Batangas.

The shipment was discovered by port authorities inside a Dimple Bus Liner which was supposed to be loaded to MV Starlite Ferry bound for Calapan City when a bomb-sniffing dog  gave a signal to its handler.

Ronnie Sanay, the bus conductor, told the inspection team that the five boxes containing the ammunition was loaded in a terminal in Manila from a certain Winston Navarosa who paid the baggage fee. Navarosa, however, did not go on the trip to Batangas.

Sanay, who presented a photocopy of permit to transport from the police's Firearms and Explosives division, said the shipment was supposed to be transported to Iloilo City.

Despite the permit, port authorities confiscated the shipment as it violated a Maritime Industry Authority circular which prohibits the loading of dangerous or hazardous cargoes on board a domestic vessel.

After an inventory of the ammunitions, authorities placed the value of the confiscated at over P145,000.