MANILA, Philippines – Police seized thousands of blasting caps and detonating cords used for making explosives from a warehouse in Zamboanga City yesterday.
Reporting to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Deputy Director General Jesus Verzosa, Philippine National Police deputy chief for administration, said the three rolls of time fuse measuring 750 meters and some 10,000 pieces of blasting caps have remained unclaimed since Friday at Pambato Forwarder Warehouse in Bangayan compound.
The cargo from Manila had triggered police suspicions that it contained illegal materials, he added.
Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director, said they have been monitoring the shipment since last week.
“The shipment was initially declared to be spark plugs, but when we deployed our K-9 (trained dogs), it sat on the cargo, thus indicating that it contained explosives,” he said.
The package was only addressed to “public market,” he added.
Police are trying to find out if the shipment was intended for any rebel group in Mindanao. — Cecille Suerte Felipe