Piracy affects trade

COTABATO CITY -Investment officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) expressed alarm over piracy attacks in Sulu as international trade at Polloc Port in Parang, Maguindanao is affected.

The port, situated within the Armm Economic Zone in Barangay Sarmiento, Parang, Maguindanao, serves as the major gateway for international trade in the Armm and mainland Mindanao.

Lawyer Ishak Mastura, Armm Regional Board of Investments (RBOI) chair, said reports have reached his office from the port management and Armm investors that international shipping to Polloc has been put on hold due to piracy in the Sulu Seas.

"While we mourn the tragic loss of life and empathize with those abducted, we are deeply concerned that the bane of piracy in the Sulu Sea has affected our international trade leading to revenue losses for the Armm regional government, which owns and operates Polloc Port," Mastura said in a statement in reaction to the latest piracy incident.

The latest piratical attack which happened this week was on a Vietnamese ship headed for Polloc Port.

The bulk carrier Giang Hai was attacked by armed pirates in the Sulu Sea, some 20 nautical miles north off Pearl Bank in Tawi-Tawi province, which is part of Armm.

The vessel was carrying 4,500 tons of cement from Indonesia destined for Polloc Port, when it was approached by a motor boat with heavily armed men who tried to cross the route of the vessel.

One of the 25-man crew member was killed while seven were abducted. They include Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Dutch, German and Japanese nationals. PNA