500 blasting caps seized

Police yesterday confiscated at least 500 blasting caps and a kilo of cyanide found inside an abandoned pumpboat in sitio Mahayahay, barangay Pasil, Cebu City.

The confiscated items were from Talisay City, a known center for  dynamite and blasting caps used for illegal fishing.

Police checked the unregistered pumpboat after an informant tipped them off about the contraband. No one  was arrested.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, Cebu City Intelligence Branch (CIB) said  it was unlikely that this was being used for terrorist bombing activities.

He said he is coordinating with his counterpart in Bohol province and  the intelligence community in Central Visayas to check for any links to the June 24 bombing of a National Grid Corp. of  the Philippines structure in San Miguel town in Bohol province.

Santander said he had the names of possible owners of the pumpboat, which was turned over  to barangay Pasil officials for safekeeping. /Correspondent Chito O. Aragon