IN BRIEF

4 tarantulas seized on shipment to Seoul

CUSTOMS agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have intercepted a shipment of four tarantulas bound for South Korea.

Personnel of the Customs X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) under lawyer Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang scanned the parcel at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City and detected suspicious images which turned out to be spiders.

“Through the intensified screening of XIP operatives, the parcel was tagged as suspiciously containing illegal goods based on the generated images,” the BI agents said.

The package was subsequently examined in coordination with agents from the Enforcement and Security Service - Environmental Protection and Compliance Division and Department of Environment and Natural Resources detailed in NAIA.

“As per examiners findings, it contains four heads of tarantulas in violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” the BI said in a report..

Joel E. Zurbano

BOC cited for capture of P1.5-b fake footwear

THE Nike Asia Pacific has cited the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for the agency’s efforts in apprehending more than P1.5 billion worth of counterfeit footwear bearing the famous brand.

The citation was presented to Customs Commissioner Bien Rubio, Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Verne Enciso, and Intellectual Property Rights Division Chief Paul Oliver Pacunayen.

Commissioner Rubio expressed his pride in this latest achievement.

“We will continue to strengthen our efforts in combating counterfeiting and ensuring the enforcement of intellectual property rights,” he said.

Joel E. Zurbano

Subic Freeport welcomes e-vehicle charging depots

THE Subic Bay Freeport has signified its readiness to meet a new era in tourism following the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) here.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority

(SBMA) chairman and administrator Jonathan Tan graced the official launching of the EVCS at the Uni-Oil Subic gasoline station.

“We are gearing up to attract more tourists while maintaining an environmentally healthy environment as part of my administration’s thrusts.

Not only that we are now expecting tourists thru the conventional fuelpowered vehicles, we are now ready for tourists on electric vehicles and e-cars,” Tan said. Butch Gunio

MIF MEETS STIFF OPPOSITION.

Protesters stage a demonstration in Manila to call for mass withdrawal of deposits from the government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines which is being eyed as one of the major contributors of the controversial P8.3-trillion Maharlika Investment Fund, also referred to by legislators as a sovereign wealth fund, but dismissed by critics as a “scam.” Norman Cruz