The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City has unanimously approved July 9 a resolution, authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, commending multiple law enforcement units for their swift and coordinated operation that led to the seizure of over P8.3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Barangay Tangub last week.
The interdiction, conducted in the early hours of July 2 at the Old Airport runway in the barangay, was a result of a joint operation by the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group 4th Special Operations Unit, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Negros Occidental, the City Drug Enforcement Unit, the City Intelligence Unit, and the Provincial Intelligence Unit.
Acting on intelligence regarding a motorized boat believed to have come from Mindanao, authorities intercepted 147 boxes of illicit cigarettes, and arrested three suspects involved in the smuggling activity.
Police Major Karl Bonilla, deputy commander of the 4SOU-Maritime Group, and the entire operatives were praised by the SP for their vigilance, professionalism, and courage, particularly in preventing the suspects from fleeing and ensuring the success of the mission.
The resolution, Distrito said, highlights the broader significance of the operation—not only in averting substantial tax losses and shielding legitimate businesses but also in supporting public health policies and local ordinances, such as City Ordinance 09-16-784, which penalizes the possession and sale of cigarettes without proper tax stamps. Distrito also authored this ordinance.
“This operation is a strong statement that Bacolod will not tolerate smuggling and the circulation of counterfeit tobacco products,” Distrito stressed. “We urge these agencies to continue and intensify their campaign in defense of public interest, our economy, and the health of our citizens.”
The Bacolod City government reaffirms its commitment to inter-agency cooperation and robust enforcement of anti-smuggling laws to ensure a safe, lawful, and healthy community for all Bacolodnons, he added. ||
