[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’New PCG-Iloilo chief wants stringent seaport security ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
February 5, 2018
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – The Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) Iloilo station has a new commander – Lieutenant Rodolfo Dela Peña.
He vowed to strengthen the security in seaports.
“Seaports are transshipment points of illegal drugs. I hope we can acquire more dogs trained to detect illegal drugs and explosives. We will post them in the ports,” said Dela Peña.
Just this Jan. 28, two suspected drug couriers who had planned to board a Negros Occidental-bound ship at the seaport in Barangay Sapao, Dumangas, Iloilo was arrested. They yielded a kilo of shabu valued at P18 million.
Dela Peña used to head the coastguard’s station at the jetty port in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan. He swapped posts with Lieutenant Commander Ramil Palabrica on Feb. 1.
The seizure of shabu in Dumangas has shown that the municipality’s seaport remains a transshipment point of illegal drugs.
Palabrica had served PCG Iloilo station for two years. He thanked the Ilonggos for their cooperation.
One of his accomplishments, he said, was the interception of three suspected Maute terrorist group members on June 18, 2017 before M/V St. Therese of Child Jesus, a ship from Cagayan de Oro City, could dock at the Port of Iloilo.
His most recent, he said, was the arrest of the two Negros-bound drug couriers in Dumangas.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 disclosed as early 2014 that drug traffickers found roro ships at the Dumangas port convenient in transporting illegal drugs.
Roro ships are sea vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as cars, trucks and buses driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle.
But the roro has not only made the transport of goods easier; those into illegal drugs were also taking advantage of this transport system, according to PDEA.
“I’m happy serving my fellow Ilonggos,” said Palabrica
Dela Peña, also an Ilonggo, vowed continuity at PCG Iloilo station.
He had stints at PCG stations in Antique and Roxas City./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
