Cebu South Bus Terminal Tightens Inspection Protocols
The Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) announced it is enforcing strict inspection measures, following the incident last week where alleged gun-runners managed to sneak in more than 40 pieces of unregistered .45 caliber pistols on board a Mindanao-bound boat at the port of Samboan town.
CSBT administrator Joey Herrera made the announcement yesterday.
Operatives of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday, July 14, intercepted the loose firearms along with the suspects inside the boat bound for Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
Herrera said he instructed the security officers to inspect all baggages of the passengers going inside the facility to avoid a similar incident.
Suspects Velino Cubol, Flora Mae Cubol and Marian Bella Manot were turned over to the Samboan police, where charges for violation of Section 28, Article V, of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation were filed against them.
Authorities obtained the security footage showing the suspects as they went inside CSBT through a motorcycle and were able to avoid the entrance inspection. In the footage, two of the suspects rode the motorcycle, while a third person, who was already inside the CSBT, waited for the riders to drop the bag that contained the loose firearms.
After the drop-off, the driver left the facility. Later, he came back, this time, he left his motorcycle behind a convenience store.
Herrera added that they already turned over the motorcycle to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7.
Herrera asked the riding public to bear with the strict protocol enforced by the security guards as he instructed them to inspect hand-carry baggages of passengers before riding their designated buses. (Cebu Gov’t)
