Hot firecrackers seized

The smell of gunpowder on a shipment declared as office supplies and dry goods led to the confiscation of 14 cartons of assorted firecrackers worth at least P170,000 at the Cebu City port last Wednesday.

Police said Cokaliong Shipping Lines employees held the shipment and turned it over to them after it was found out that they were firecrackers.

The seized items were supposed to be shipped to Iloilo City.

CALL

No one was arrested but police said they would wait for Marden Delicida, the registered name of the shipper in the bill of lading to show up at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 (CIDG-7) office.

We responded to a verify a report from Chester Cokaliong about confiscated firecrackers at the port area, said Insp. Delfin Bontuyan, CIDG Metro Cebu deputy chief.

UNUSUAL ODOR

Cokaliong, president of Cokaliong Shipping Lines, said his port supervisor, Simporiano Emnace, noticed the unusual odor of the shipment and held it until he and the police arrived.

Cokaliong said they opened the boxes and found it contained firecrackers.

POLICY

The shipping company has standing policy not to allow firecrackers or any hazardous materials to loaded or carried by his ships.

Cokaliong said he would not compromise his ship worth millions to a shipment of hazardous materials only worth thousands.

He said he imposed the no firecracker policy since Christmas last year./Correspondent Chito O. Aragon