ILOILO City – Two brothers were nabbed at the Caticlan Jetty port in Malay, Aklan for attempting to transport eight locally stranded individuals (LSIs) to Manila.
Police identified the suspects as Bonifacio and Alberto Bautista – both residents of Oriental Mindoro.
According to Malay municipal police station chief Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Pablito, Bonifacio, Alberto and the LSIs were in a van waiting to board a roll-off roll-on vessel around 8:30 p.m. on June 27.
They were held after they failed to show pertinent travel documents.
Pablito said the brothers came from Manila last week and went to Iloilo aside from Aklan.
“We don’t know if they have passengers going to Iloilo and Aklan, pero sure tayo na nakapunta sila sa Iloilo gamit ang van na nag colorum. Baka sa Aklan nila pinick-up ang mga LSI. Wala silang maipakitang documents “said Pablito.
Bonifacio and Alberto reportedly asked the eight LSIs to pay P4,500 each for their fare going to Manila.
The suspects were taken to the municipal police station, facing charges for violation of Republic Act 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Disease and Health Events of Public Health Concern Acts.
The eight LSIs, meanwhile, were placed under investigation of the local government unit./PN
