FIFTEEN illegal firearms bound for Ormoc City were confiscated by authorities on Thursday evening in Pier 4, Cebu City.

The smuggled firearms were carried by Joel Pedrosa, 45 and Herman Gagmatan, 31, both from Marabot, Samar, Cebu City Police Office Director Royin Garma said.

The firearms were presented by Garma on Friday's press conference at the Cebu City police headquarters.

The short firearms were confiscated inside a bus that was on board a roll-on, roll off vessel Thursday evening, after the Waterfront Police, in coordination with Ports Police and the Maritime Police, received a tip that firearms were smuggled in the vessel.

Garma said the initial information they gather was there was an instruction from a certain official in Marabot to pick up the bus.

"The only instruction we know is they're going to pick up the bus," she said.

Garma said they, in coordination with the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas and the Department of Interior and Local Government, will conduct an in-depth investigation. (JOB/SunStar Cebu with SunStar Philippines)