Fishermen recover P130-M liquid cocaine off Calaguas Island

A plastic container filled with 16.5 liters of white liquid substance used for the production of cocaine was recovered by four fishermen along the waters of Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde presented the seized illegal substance before the media in Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City, Laguna on Tuesday.

Albayalde said that the liquid substance could produce about 13 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated value of P130 million.

The said substance was recovered on April 22 at around 7 a.m. by Jayner Tisou, Michael Sekreto, Joven Mendez and Virgilio Yanilla.

"Sa ngayon hindi pa natin alam 'yung actual source nito. That will be part of our investigation para malaman natin kung saan talaga itong source nitong cocaine na ito. This is something new sa atin dahil usually nakikita natin before is shabu. Dito is cocaine," Albayalde said.

On the same day, a "tracking device" was also recovered on the territorial waters of Calaguas Island by four other fishermen identified as Jeffrey Taro, Victor Anarcho, Antonio Permian and Dencio Sanico.

The device was turned over to the Quezon Provincial Crime Laboratory Office.

"Unang-una what we know here is open 'yung borders natin, so maybe we have to check on our borders, 'yung ating karagatan. Malawak kasi tayo...So ito 'yung nakita nila, very easy access sa atin through sa mga dagat natin," Albayalde said. 

"Ito sabi ko nga, bago. Dati palulubugin 'yan and then sisirin. Ngayon meron ng tracking device. Nagiging high-tech na tayo dito. Hindi na sila mahihirapan," he added.

Also presented during the press briefing were the 28 kilograms of cocaine found in the waters off Camarines Norte by fishermen from Perez town. —KG, GMA News