A drug lord in Subic
The attempt of Taiwanese drug lord Anthony “Anton” Ang to smuggle 714.6 kg of high-grade shabu worth P4.6 billion into the Subic Bay Free port would have succeeded had law enforcement officers succumbed to his tempting bribe offer.
Ang, a locator at the free port, initially dangled a P2-million bribe after law enforcers on patrol confiscated eight sealed and undocumented boxes while they were being unloaded from the Taiwanese vessel F/B Shun Fa Shing at the Riviera Pier on May 25. The boxes were being loaded into a Mitsubishi Outlander being driven by Ang, 62, co-owner of the Hualong International Inc. a trading firm which has been operating at the Subic industrial park since 2003.
When the bribe offer was rejected, Ang raised the amount to P50 million. Still, the lawmen did not bite the bribe which was offered through brokers. The offer bolstered the suspicion that what they confiscated was a contraband.
Ang frantically pleaded with the law enforcers of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to release the shipment which he claimed consisted of computer parts. But his request was turned down for failing to present the required documents. When the boxes were opened two days later, in the presence of officials of the SBMA, led by Administrator Armand Arreza and of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, led by Undersecretary Antonio Villar, each box yielded five air-sealed plastic bags of crystalline substance, which turned out to be shabu. The cargo weighed a total of 90 kg.
On May 28, two more boxes wrapped in black plastic bags were spotted floating at sea near the Subic drydock and after they were retrieved and opened, they were found to contain 20 kg of shabu. On the same day, acting on a tip from a Subic Free port locator, SBMA operatives seized 60 more boxes in a rented Toyota Hi-Ace van, parked in a warehouse behind the Hualong warehouse. The boxes were brought to Task Force Subic office where they were verified to contain shabu of the same grade. The operatives arrested the driver of the van, Rolando Ladandelo, a resident of Olongapo City.
But Ang turned out to be elusive and remains at large up to now. The Taiwanese trader was found to have left, together with his family, his residence at 55, 25th St., East Bajac-bajac, Olongapo City. A hold- departure order has been issued by the Bureau of Immigration against him upon the request of the PASG.
Senator Richard Gordon, former SBMA chairman and administrator, lost no time in commending the SBMA and PASG officials and law enforcers for busting what was dubbed the biggest drug smuggling case in the country so far. In a privilege speech at the Senate on May 28, Gordon urged the Subic authorities “to inspect all vessels operating in Subic Bay, especially those transporting cigarettes, and step up surveillance.”
The huge shabu shipment was actually discovered by accident. But law enforcers were alert enough when they accosted Ang after noticing his car “suspiciously roaming” in a restricted area. His “nervous demeanor” was also noted.
But the personnel of the Bureau of Customs were found to be sleeping on their job. Or were they in cahoots with the drug syndicate? They did not bother to inspect the suspicious cargo and or even to enter the ship that transported it. The inward manifest issued by the BoC corresponding to the subject vessel was marked “Nilcargo” meaning without cargo. These lax Customs personnel should be punished and even investigated for their shameful conduct.
As for the SBMA law enforcers who refused the bribe and seized the illegal drugs, they deserve the nation’s salute. They were promptly rewarded by the SBMA with promotions, commendations and monetary incentives.
First Crack - Fel V. Maragay - Manila Standard Today
Ang, a locator at the free port, initially dangled a P2-million bribe after law enforcers on patrol confiscated eight sealed and undocumented boxes while they were being unloaded from the Taiwanese vessel F/B Shun Fa Shing at the Riviera Pier on May 25. The boxes were being loaded into a Mitsubishi Outlander being driven by Ang, 62, co-owner of the Hualong International Inc. a trading firm which has been operating at the Subic industrial park since 2003.
When the bribe offer was rejected, Ang raised the amount to P50 million. Still, the lawmen did not bite the bribe which was offered through brokers. The offer bolstered the suspicion that what they confiscated was a contraband.
Ang frantically pleaded with the law enforcers of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to release the shipment which he claimed consisted of computer parts. But his request was turned down for failing to present the required documents. When the boxes were opened two days later, in the presence of officials of the SBMA, led by Administrator Armand Arreza and of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, led by Undersecretary Antonio Villar, each box yielded five air-sealed plastic bags of crystalline substance, which turned out to be shabu. The cargo weighed a total of 90 kg.
On May 28, two more boxes wrapped in black plastic bags were spotted floating at sea near the Subic drydock and after they were retrieved and opened, they were found to contain 20 kg of shabu. On the same day, acting on a tip from a Subic Free port locator, SBMA operatives seized 60 more boxes in a rented Toyota Hi-Ace van, parked in a warehouse behind the Hualong warehouse. The boxes were brought to Task Force Subic office where they were verified to contain shabu of the same grade. The operatives arrested the driver of the van, Rolando Ladandelo, a resident of Olongapo City.
But Ang turned out to be elusive and remains at large up to now. The Taiwanese trader was found to have left, together with his family, his residence at 55, 25th St., East Bajac-bajac, Olongapo City. A hold- departure order has been issued by the Bureau of Immigration against him upon the request of the PASG.
Senator Richard Gordon, former SBMA chairman and administrator, lost no time in commending the SBMA and PASG officials and law enforcers for busting what was dubbed the biggest drug smuggling case in the country so far. In a privilege speech at the Senate on May 28, Gordon urged the Subic authorities “to inspect all vessels operating in Subic Bay, especially those transporting cigarettes, and step up surveillance.”
The huge shabu shipment was actually discovered by accident. But law enforcers were alert enough when they accosted Ang after noticing his car “suspiciously roaming” in a restricted area. His “nervous demeanor” was also noted.
But the personnel of the Bureau of Customs were found to be sleeping on their job. Or were they in cahoots with the drug syndicate? They did not bother to inspect the suspicious cargo and or even to enter the ship that transported it. The inward manifest issued by the BoC corresponding to the subject vessel was marked “Nilcargo” meaning without cargo. These lax Customs personnel should be punished and even investigated for their shameful conduct.
As for the SBMA law enforcers who refused the bribe and seized the illegal drugs, they deserve the nation’s salute. They were promptly rewarded by the SBMA with promotions, commendations and monetary incentives.
First Crack - Fel V. Maragay - Manila Standard Today
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
3:56 PM
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