Cops impound truck loaded with explosives

LEGAZPI CITY – Police manning a checkpoint impounded a cargo truck loaded with various paraphernalia in making explosives along the national highway between Barangay Caloocan and Gasgasan in Matnog town in Sorsogon early Sunday morning.

Senior Superintendent Eliezer Bron, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police in Bicol, said Matnog police led by Senior Inspector Perfecto Lovina impounded a Fuso truck about 2:10 a.m. Sunday driven by a certain Edgar Navarro loaded with 30,000 pieces of detonating cord, 70,000 meters of safety fuse, 90,000 pieces of OBC #8, 350 pieces of dynamite X150 and another 350 bags of ammonium nitrate.

Bron said a certain PO1 Emerito Salvador, who presented himself as the escort of the explosives cargo, when interrogated present a letter order related to his travel.

“We have to make sure this cargo is covered by appropriate papers because it is dangerous when it lands at the wrong people,” Bron told The STAR during an interview at his office at Camp General Simeon Ola yesterday morning.

Bron, however, said that upon verification, the explosives will be transferred to Surigao del Sur based on radio message from PNP Firearms Explosive Division - 1022-383-2008 dated Oct. 23, 2008 from Chief Superintendent Florendo Caccam Jr., chief of FED and regional director of Police Regional Office 3 and Calabarson.

Upon further verification by PO3 Luis Labini who is assigned at the Regional Ordnance Police Division and the FED at the regional headquarters of the PNP here that a communication was sent from the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame on the cargo.

Bron said the police escort, the truck driver and the Isuzu truck loaded with explosives are still in the custody of Matnog police pending the issuance or verification of Salvador’s travel order.