00:00Three suspects in the sale of a dangerous chemical used in the making of a bomb
00:05were arrested in a separate operation in Cagayan de Oro and Pasay City.
00:10Isaiah Mirafuentes has the details.
00:15This man hasn't been released yet.
00:17He was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation in Cagayan de Oro.
00:22The person of the NBI was required to wear personal protective equipment.
00:27The main subject is the sale of a dangerous chemical
00:31called depleted uranium used in the making of a dirty bomb.
00:36This chemical is a threat to the national security of the country.
00:40The terror risk associated with this material
00:43is that it could be made into a dirty bomb.
00:46As a dirty bomb, the ultimate weapon of terror
00:50because there is an irrational fear to radiation of our public.
00:55Depleted uranium is dangerous to the health because of radiation.
00:59It is possible to have complications in the lungs
01:02and to get cancer.
01:03Who will be exposed here?
01:06When inhaled, the powder enters the lungs.
01:11It is an alpha emitter.
01:13You have a material inside you that generates alpha particles
01:20which is a potential route for cancer.
01:24Before this, the NBI conducted an entrapment operation in Pasay City
01:29where two individuals were arrested who were also involved in the alleged crime.
01:34The operation was conducted in Mandaue City
01:36which is considered to be the source of all the supply of depleted uranium.
01:41Our PNRI, all the places where we operate and can be contaminated
01:46all of it was passed by the PNRI for proper decontamination procedure.
01:52Three suspects confiscated 100 kilos of depleted uranium.
01:57Each kilo is worth 6.8 million pesos.
02:01It means that the confiscated contraband is worth more than 680 million pesos.
02:07It is possible that the suspects sold the contaminated chemicals to terrorists in other countries.
02:13They are facing charges under Republic Act No. 5207
02:17or Amended Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act.
02:21But two of these suspects have already been sentenced.
02:24We are using an old law.
02:26We used the old law here.
02:28That is why the penalty is low.
02:31We hope that there will be a revisit, a review of the law.
02:36As we speak, we understand that there is a pending bill.
02:40The authorities request that the law be amended because the penalty is low.
02:45Isaiah Miracuentes for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
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