By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
May 17, 2023, 6:29 pm

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police operatives have arrested four suspects and seized PHP1.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in separate anti-smuggling operations in Zamboanga del Sur, an official said Wednesday.

Brig. Gen. Neil Alinsañgan, Police Regional Office (PRO) 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) Director, identified the arrested suspects as Adrian Saldo, 39, Ahmedjoem Taupan, 19, Ajis Hajin, 23, and Aziz Ismula, 24.

Alinsañgan said Saldo and Taupan were arrested at a checkpoint along the highway in Barangay Lower Landing, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur on Tuesday night.

Confiscated from Saldo and Taupan were 36 master cases of smuggled cigarettes worth PHP1.2 million.

The two suspects, the vehicle, and the smuggled cigarettes were placed under the custody of the Dumingag municipal police station pending turnover to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Meanwhile, the other two suspects, Hajin and Ismula, were arrested in Barangay Damit, Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

The two were intercepted by policemen during a checkpoint operation launched in response to a report that an L-300 van loaded with smuggled cigarettes would pass by the village.

Seized were 1,030 reams of smuggled cigarettes worth PHP721,000. The cargo that came from Zamboanga City is allegedly owned by Ismula.

The suspects and their vehicle loaded with the contraband were temporarily placed under the custody of the Bayog municipal police station pending their transfer to the BOC for proper disposition. (PNA)

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BY Philippine News Agency
Apr 21, 2023 07:23 AM

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel have rescued 85 commercial ferry boat passengers, including five babies, off Maigo, Lanao del Norte, the local PCG station said on Friday, April 21.

In a statement, PCG-Maigo Station said passengers aboard MV Filipinas Cebu were rescued after the vessel ran aground at Maigo Point around 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, as it sailed to Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental from Lanao del Norte.

The rescued passengers were safely ferried aboard tugboat Focson Diamond going to the PCG-Maigo Station.

Responding PCG personnel were accompanied by a team from the PCG Marine Environmental Protection Unit (MEPU) to conduct an immediate oil spill assessment.

“Based on the oil spill assessment of MEPU personnel, there was no presence of oil sheen in the area,” PCG-Maigo said, adding its personnel have installed oil spill booms around the ferry as a proactive measure.

Meanwhile, the PCG in Basilan is continuously assisting in the salvage operations to remove MV Lady Mary Joy 3 from the shore of Baluk-Baluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad town.

The Aleson Shipping Lines which owns the vessel is leading the salvage operation. The vessel caught fire at about 11:30 p.m. on March 29 near Baluk-Baluk Island while sailing to Sulu from Zamboanga City.

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