Philippine Coast Guard Seizes Explosives Hidden on Palawan Ferry

Puerto Princesa, Palawan, September 13. K9 dogs working the vehicle deck of a RoRo passenger ferry flagged two cargo trucks. Philippine Coast Guard explosive ordnance disposal personnel confirmed what the dogs had found: 12.5 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and 130 cases of dynamite, none of it correctly declared on the cargo manifest.

Both trucks were aboard the ferry at the same time as paying passengers. A PCG officer was relieved of duty immediately to keep the investigation independent.

PCG announced the seizure on September 18. The find came nine days after the June Aster fire near Coron killed at least 35 people, and it renewed questions about how dangerous cargo is screened before it boards a passenger ferry.