TAAL, Batangas — Some 149 pieces of live corals loaded in 33 boxes could have found its way to Japan had it not been for the strict scrutiny undertaken by the joint inspection team of the Bureau of Cus¬toms (BOC) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at the NAIA airport in Parañaque City last Thursday. BOC Examiner Theresa Go, and BOC Custom Guard Julius Raon, along with BFAR Quarantine Officer Francisco Taborda intercepted the shipment upon discovering the concealment of the live corals underneath each of the boxes of live tropical aquarium fishes around 7 p.m. Thursday Miascor Cargo warehouse. The confiscated shipment weighing 631 kilos is bound for Fukuoka, Japan via Aseana Airlines flight OZ-704 which is due to leave NAIA on the same night, were brought to National Fisheries Biological Center, here, on Friday. Officials said live brain corals, particularly the lobed brain coral sells from a low of US$30 to US$80 per polyp depending on the color and size according to one website. Fisheries Quarantine Officer Ben Curativo revealed that the shipper is a certain Seri International Enterprises of 857 Santiago St., Gatchalian Subdivision, Manuyo II in Las Piñas. The consignee is Media Net Corporation, 2-1-7 Nishi Takasu, Wakamatsu-Ku in Japan. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

Versoza Now Region 1 P.D. 

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Finally, Senior Superintendent Mariano Luis “Sonny” Versoza, Jr. will officially assume his post as Provincial Director (PD)-Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office effective today July 16. This was confirmed by Versoza after a courtesy call with Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. at the Capitol, July 11, here. Versoza is currently the Regional Intelligence Division Chief, Police Regional Police Office 1 (PRO1) in San Fernando City, La Union. He told that he can easily adjust to his new post since he used to be a subordinate of the Governor when the latter served as the PNP provincial director. “Alam naman ninyo kung papaano kami pukpukin sa trabaho noon as his subordinates,” Versoza disclosed as he added that work will be easier since he knows exactly what Espino wants to accomplish. With regard to the present structure of Pangasinan PNP, Versoza assured that there will be no changes but rather “putting the right person to the right position” with some new innovations underway to further improve the PNP’s peace-keeping efforts in the province. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)