Elements of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) intercepted a fishing vessel loaded with untaxed cigarettes in Davao Occidental and arrested two suspects reportedly active members of an armed group, lending credence to an earlier claim that certain organized groups in Mindanao are currently behind the proliferation of cigarette smuggling in the country.
Seized from M/B Princess Sarah within the vicinity waters off Balut Island, Sarangani town, Davao Occidental last November 5 were over 700 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes amounting to P29.4 million.
An informed source, who requested anonymity claimed two of the nine arrested suspects areactive members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), identified as Raiben Abbas and Entong Abbilani Jani.
The source provided photos of Abbas and Jani taken from their mobile phones showing them in MILF uniforms clad with firearms.
Earlier, Prof. Rohan Gunaratna of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore disclosed that various armed groups in Mindanao previously involved in the kidnap-for-ransom operations and other heinous crime activities, are currently behind the proliferation of cigarette smuggling in the country.
Gunaratna a noted international authority on global security threat said these armed groups-turned smugglers have been “corrupting” a number of high ranking officials of police and military assigned in Mindanao to facilitate and protect their illegal activities.
Worse, Gunaratna said, some members of these armed groups became more powerful and influential because “they gained political positions” in their areas of operations.
Gunaratna was among the resource speakers at a two-day conference in September dubbed “PROTECT 2023: Doing Business Amidst New Threats” in Makati City.
The global security threat expert specifically mentioned the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Moro National Liberation (MNLF) in his discussions.
The unimpeachable source, who was with the raiding team, described as “outrageous” the participation of the MILF members in the smuggling activity despite the agreement entered into between the MILF and the government to renounce armed struggle and illegal activities.
MILF leaders hold majority of the positions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) headed by Ahod Ebrahim as its interim chief minister, himself the MILF chair.
Recounting the operations, Commodore Carlos Sabarre, the NFEM commander said that his men were conducting territorial defense operations in the vicinity onboard the BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS 37) when they chanced upon the fishing vessel which turned out to be the M/B Princess Sarah.
Despite the repeated radio communications, BRP Artemio Ricarte ran after the vessel when it attempted to speed away from the lawmen and failed to show documents after they were intercepted. BRP Artemio Ricarte is one of the vessels of the Philippine Navy under the operational control of the Naval Operational Task Force 71 of NFEM.
During the inspection, lawmen uncovered a total of 717 master cases: 215 – Cannon, 341 –Greenhill and 161 – Bros and arrested Rairen Abbas, Arcel Ambutong, Tikboy Ambutong, Abdunasir Gaodan, Gogo Hakim, Melhadz Ambutong, Fahad Balamo, Adami Kirani, Entong Abbilani Jani.