By BETHEENA KAE UNITE
A cargo ship loaded with 60,000 undocumented sacks of rice worth P120 million was intercepted while in transit off Zamboanga Sibugay Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
Local cargo ship MV J-Phia was reportedly cut off by the PCG in Southwestern Mindanao (SWM) 25 nautical miles Southwest off Olutanga, around 9:30 a.m.
According to the PCG, they ran after the ship after receiving information a foreign vessel transferred illegal cargo on it somewhere in Sulu.
Following an investigation, the captain of the vessel claimed their last port of call as Cagayan De Oro.
The PCG in Cagayan De Oro, however, maintained they have no record of the vessel departing their area of responsibility.
The captain of the vessel reportedly also failed to show any record to prove his claim.
The PCG -SWM later escorted MV J-Phia to Zamboanga for proper disposition.
Authorities said its owners and crew could be facing possible smuggling charges.