Tuesday, September 30, 2008 (Philippines)

Officials deny there was a confrontation between the two law enforcement agencies, NBI-7 and PASG-Cebu. But for several minutes tension was high when the NBI agents (above left) were swarmed by PASG-Cebu and Swat police operatives at the warehouse (top) across the street from Cebu Doctors University, north reclamation area, Mandaue City. Two NBI agents were reportedly arrested and disarmed by PASG men but were later released. NBI seized one of three vans (above right) that came out of the customs yard at the Cebu International Port.(Sun.star photos/Amper Campaña) Tension momentarily blanketed a warehouse at the reclamation area in Mandaue City around 7 p.m. last night as elements of two government agencies got entangled in a standoff over custody of a container van. However, both the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG)-Cebu would not give details of the confrontation over the apprehension of one of three container vans that were subjects of an anti-smuggling operation. The conflict stemmed from NBI 7 conducting the operation without the knowledge of PASG-Cebu, the unit specifically tasked to curb smuggling in the province. [full story]