Marines Foil Shipment of Explosive Materials to Lawless/Bandit Groups

BY LTCOL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Monday, 19 October 2009

Marines foiled a possible shipment of bomb-making components to lawless and bandit groups after it seized hundreds of sacks of ammonium nitrate during a raid in a Tawi-Tawi warehouse Friday morning, 11AM, 16 October 2009.

Members of the 22nd and 32nd Marine Company, MBLT-2 led by 2LT SARTO PN(M) confiscated around 233 sacks of ammonium nitrate during a raid in a warehouse in Brgy Lamion, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. The components packed in 25 kilos per sack is used in the manufacture of improvised explosive device (IED) and commonly used for dynamite fishing. The items are approximately worth P517,000.00.

Initial investigation revealed that confiscated items were broughtto the Philippines from Malaysia and that the warehouse serves as a storage facility of ammonium nitrate that is distributed to various places in Tawi-Tawi. Investigation also revealed that said items were bound for an MNLF area in Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, as well as to the ASG and other lawless groups planning to wreak havoc in Mindanao.

The owner of the warehouse, a certain Holkim Mating alias Radji, a resident of the barangay was arrested and detained by the combined team of Marines and PNP.

The raid on the warehouse of Holkim Mating was prompted by the confiscation of nine sacks of ammonium nitrate earlier in the day. The team of 2LT SARTO, acting on intelligence information conducted board and search procedure aboard M/L Piaksah moored at Chinese Pier in Bongao and discovered the contraband items. After questioning, the crew pointed to the warehouse of Holkim Mating as their source. Hence, the raid. Total amount of confiscation is P537,000.00

The owner, a certain Tanduya Jurjani of Sipangkot, Sitangkai town revealed that she bought the items from an unidentified warehouse in Brgy Lamion, Bongao.