Check docked sea vessels along Ilocos for shabu contraband, folks urge

By Mar T. Supnad

SANTIAGO, Ilocos Sur- Local folks here said authorities should also check foreign and local vessels docking along coastal waters off here purportedly due to bad weather to avoid repetition of what happened in Zambales and Bataan where close to P4 billion worth of shabu was unloaded along its coastal areas.
    Police reports showed two vessels- Sidney Austin owned by Oceanic Company, were spotted here last week docked off waters ofBarangay Butol.
    Another one tug boat also sought refuge in nearby Candon city.
    On board on it were Capt, Mark Anthony Albon and his nine crew. According to police, said sea vessel docked vessel on “September 8, around 4 p.m. in the maritime area of Butol to seek refuge due to bad weather and to rescue their tug boats stuck in the maritime area of Candon City.”
    However, said vessel suddenly left in the area heading south direction after rescuing their tug boats in Candon City Sur with no untoward incident.
    In another police report, the MTUG Johann Jolly and MTUG Sidney Austin also docked along shoreline of Barangay Pinipin, Sta.Cruz, Ilocos Sur also on Sept. 9.
    The MTUG Johan Jolly Ship was manned by Captain Wilfren E. Tabarangao and nine Filipino crew members while the MTUG Sidney Austin, was manned by Ship Capt. Mark Anthony Albon  with nine Filipino crew members.
    Police said the MTUG Johann Jolly, a tug boat owned by Vismin Speedy Transport Inc. with 10 Filipino crew members including its Captain also sheltered at Barangay Caterman, Candon a day later and MTUG Sidney Austin, owned by Oceanic Container Line Inc., with 10 Filipino Crew members sheltered at Butol.
    All the tugboats originated at homeport in Manila are now anchored within territorial waters of Pinipin, Sta.Cruz, Ilocos Sur purposely to rescue/tow aground Tugboat off the waters here.
    A few days ago, worth close to P4 billion shabu was intercepted by authorities in Candelaria, Zambales and in Tipo gate, Hermosa, Bataan.
    Four Chinese nationals were killed in Candelaria while three others Chiense were nabbed in Tipo, Hermosa.
    It turned out that the groups were bigtime drug syndicates using coastal waters in the country to unload their shabu worth billions of pesos.