Cebu consignee claims cargo, but not firearms

The consignee of the 45-foot van seized by Customs personnel last Tuesday claimed ownership of the shipment and sought a meeting with officials over the case.

In a phone interview, Bureau of Customs (BOC) District Collector Ronnie Silvestre said the consignee, D’ Golden House Trading Co., holds office in Bacalla compound, Holy Name Street in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.

Silvestre said the company owner, whose name was kept confidential, sent a letter to his office and claimed ownership of the truck heads stored in the container van.

But the owner denied being aware of the gun parts and the ammunition found inside the van.

Silvestre said the customs police who conducted the investigation informed him that the owner of D’ Golden House Trading Co. wanted to see him today.

The container van was opened at the BOC compound last Nov. 29.

Inside the container van were truck heads and used household goods with a total value placed at US $6,500 or P282,412.

The customs police said the estimated value of the seized bullets is $1,200 or P52,137.60 and the estimated value of the gun parts is P5000,000.

Based on documents, the carrier of the container van was identified as NYK Line from Oakland, California.

The forwarding agent was Calorama Freight Services Inc. of Mandaue City.

Silvestre said the container van was the last of four that arrived in the country in the past few days.

Silvestre said they also found a receipt in the boxes of ammunition issued to a certain “Robert Granthom.”

“We’re not saying that he’s the owner because this is still under investigation. And the consignee was D’ Golden House Trading Co,” he said.

Customs police Andie Catre said the “sales invoice” receipt was found inside  one of the five boxes of ammunition.

Catre said it was bought from a US store. The US Homeland Security had been assisting Customs in locating arms shipments delivered to the country.

The first van, which was misdeclared as “personal effects” and originated from California, arrived in Cebu last Nov. 15.

The consignee identified as a certain “Renato Ramos” of JP Rizal Street, Banilad, Cebu City, had yet to be located.

Customs personnel said they believed the name was fictitious. The seized items were scheduled for auction next month.

Silvestre said one container van arrived in the Manila International Port area in the past two weeks and another van last Tuesday.

In a separate phone interview, Firearms Explosives Security Service Agency and Guards Supervisory Section (Fessagss) Chief Rex Derilo said they are assisting the BOC in the investigation of the seized gun parts and ammunition. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell