Public Utility Vehicles confiscated in Pagadian City

By Jong Cadion

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (March 13, 2018) – Troops under Joint Task Force “ZAMPELAN” provided area security assistance to the personnel of the Law Enforcement Service of Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Central Office, who were able to confiscate Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) without franchise in a joint law enforcement operations conducted in Pagadian City, morning of March 10, 2018 (Saturday), military official said.

Maj Ronald E Suscano (INF) PA, 1^st Infantry (TABAK) Division disclosed that after a thorough coordination between the troops of 53rd Infantry Battalion led by 1LT MICHAEL B BUMIDANG (INF) PA and Land Transportation Office-Central Office for their vehicular inspection operation, thirty five (35) Vans and two (2) Multi-cabs without franchise were confiscated.  The said operation was conducted at vicinity of Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT), Brgy Bulatok, Pagadian City.

“This is a nationwide campaign of LTO and we started here in Pagadian City for the Mindanao area. The primary objective of this nationwide operation is road safety”, said Col Rolando V Abelardo, Deputy Director, Law Enforcement Service, LTO-Central Office based in Metro Manila.

Maj Suscano said that earlier, on March 04, 2018, troops of 42IB in a joint operation with the Provincial police of Zamboanga del Norte, encountered the lawless elements in Sirawai who abducted the alleged five (5) illegal loggers at Sitio Upper Lukungan, Brgy Panabutan, Sirawai. The firefight which lasted for about ten (10) minutes resulted to one (1) enemy killed and recovery of (1) M1 Garand rifle, other several war items and personal belongings.

He also added that in previous months, 42IB, also in a joint operation with the police counterpart, had a series of clashes  with another lawless elements known as “Sumiggal group” in the municipality of Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte which resulted to the recovery of several war materials. There was no casualty on the government troops. These joint operations involving the different units under JTF “ZAMPELAN” is in line with the military’s support role to Law Enforcement Operations.

Maj Suscano further said that as of today, the vehicular inspection operations of the Law Enforcement Service of LTO-Central Office is still on-going not only in Pagadian City but in the whole Province of Zamboanga del Sur. This will be done as well in other areas in Mindanao in the coming days,

 “The military is continuously assisting other government institutions/agencies in the implementation of the law”, said Maj Gen Roseller G Murillo AFP, 1st ID Commader as he commended the troops for the successful operations.   

 “The military under Team Tabak will remain professional as it carries out its mandate in the implementation of Martial Law”, he added.