ZAMBOANGA CITY: Mayor Beng Climaco has said she
already transmitted to the president the City Council resolution calling for a
full blown investigation on the rampant smuggling activities in the city.
The resolution was approved last week, which
expressed the councilors’ apprehension over the supposed rampant rice smuggling
activities in the city, which accordingly, also named some PNP and media members
under the payola of financiers.
The mayor said she has also directed the PNP, Task
Force Zamboanga and the Coastguard to be in full force in the campaign against any
form of smuggling.
City police director Col. Angelito Casimiro also
said he has ordered the monitoring of private wharves as these are said to be
the entry points for the smuggled items.
This developed after as information said the City Council is going to legislate regulation of the
use of city private wharves in the coming weeks.
The ZCPO said they already have the list of city wharves
allegedly engaged in rice smuggling, emphasizing that a number of them were
found out to be river openings only.
Casimiro likewise challenged the report which involved
members of the police force into smuggling, saying there must be solid evidence
anchored on facts and properly documented.