CONFISCATED. A police officer lists alcoholic drinks intercepted in a quarantine control checkpoint last Sunday, May 17. Passi City Mayor Stephen Palmares said that liquor ban violators are using the city as a gateway to sneak contrabands from Capiz to Iloilo province. (Photo courtesy of Passi City LGU)
ILOILO CITY – The Passi City government has tightened its watch against liquor smugglers, particularly those smuggling from Capiz to Iloilo province.
“We strictly implement the liquor ban because it seems that violators are making our city a gateway for alcoholic beverages from Capiz to Iloilo province. I directed our authorities and the members of our police to take this seriously,” Stephen Palmares, Passi City mayor, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.
Capiz lifted its liquor ban last May 1 as it downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ). Iloilo province, meanwhile, continues to implement the ban despite shifting from enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to GCQ last May 16.
“We were able to confiscate an estimated 500 boxes of contraband since the enhanced community quarantine was implemented in the province last March 20,” Palmares said.
He said the biggest bulk of contraband was confiscated on May 17. A 32-year-old male was arrested for sneaking 50 boxes of Tanduay Rhum through a checkpoint in Poblacion Ilawod village while a 45-year-old male was collared in Bagacay village for transporting 85 boxes of liquor.
On May 14, authorities were also able to intercept 70 boxes of assorted liquor from two violators.
The mayor said 68 boxes were also confiscated from violators last May 4.
“Aside from this bulk contraband, we also caught those who transported in small quantities,” he said.
Quarantine control checkpoints in the city are located in the villages of Aglalana, Punong, Imbang Grande, Poblacion Ilawod, and Quinagaringan Grande.
The violators and the seized contrabands were turned over to Passi City Municipal Police Station for proper custody.
The mayor continues to appeal to the public to abide by the province’s prohibition of selling, buying, and transporting liquor. (PNA)
