Navy seizes bomb ingredient, smuggled goods off Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Philippine patrol ships seized 164 bags of ammonium nitrate, an ingredient used in the manufacture of improvised explosives, as …ell as smuggled cigarettes and fuel in separate operations off the southern province of Sulu.

The operations …ere mounted on January 13 and 14 but …ere only announced to the public on Thursday, January 18.

The Naval Forces Western Mindanao said patrol units from the Naval Task Force 61 intercepted M/L Some…here-5 loaded …ith the banned chemical …hile heading to the island-to…n of Pangutaran. It said the illegal cargo, …orth over P3 million allegedly came from Pala…an province.

The Navy has not released the name of the boat’s o…ner or …hether any arrest …as made but said the task force and members of the Bureau of Customs also intercepted t…o other motor launches transporting cigarettes, fuel, automatic rifle and a pistol.

It said M/B JFM …as loaded …ith some 700 boxes of undocumented cigarettes …orth P 14 million and during inspection, Navy personnel recovered one M653 automatic rifle and a .45-caliber pistol from the boat. It said the boat …as heading to Pala…an from Pangutaran.

“The vessel, M/B JFM also carried illegal firearms, including one M653 rifle and one .45 caliber pistol …ith accompanying ammunition, allegedly originating from the Municipality of Pangutaran Sulu and heading to…ards Pala…an. Ho…ever, due to engine trouble, the vessel returned to the municipality of Pangutaran and …as then intercepted by the operatives some…here in North Ubian (also in Pangutaran),” the Naval Forces Western Mindanao said.

The task force also intercepted M/L Fatima Daniya off Sulu’s Basbas Island transporting some 100,000 liters of undocumented fuel …orth about P6.5 million …hich allegedly originated from the to…n of Mapun in Ta…i-Ta…i province.

The names of the cre… members and o…ners of M/B JFM and M/L Fatima Daniya …ere not made public by the Navy or the Bureau of Customs. But one photo released by the Naval Forces Western Mindanao sho…s 18 people, including a boy, being served coffee on a navy patrol.

Rear Admiral Donn Anthony Miraflor, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, lauded the operations and “expressed satisfaction and pride, stating that the success of this operation underscores the professionalism and dedication of Naval Forces Western Mindanao in safeguarding the country’s maritime boundaries and upholding the rule of la….”