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The yacht reportedly used to transport smuggled firearms to Bataan in Luzon was no longer owned by the Mandaue-based Cebu Tranquila Realty Inc., according to lawyers of the firm.
?To set the records straight, Cebu Tranquila is no longer the owner of M/Y Mou Man Tai,? according to the firm?s lawyers Aristotle Batuhan, Hannah Añonuevo, and Lionel Lopez.
The lawyers sent a letter to to clear the name of their client after the firm was ?unnecessarily dragged into any alleged illegal undertaking involving the yacht.?
Cebu Tranquila was earlier identified by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as the owner of the yacht which was used to transport illegal firearms from a Panamanian vessel, which authorities seized off the coast of Mariveles, Bataan on Aug. 20.
In a report from the Inquirer, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales identifed the yacht as the M/Y Mou Man Tai and was registered under the name of one Dave Smith whom they believed to be connected with Cebu Tranquila Realty Inc.
The lawyers of Cebu Tranquila said Dave Smith was not connected with the firm.
Last April 7, 2008, Cebu Tranquila, as the lessor, entered into a ?Lease/Option to Purchase Contract? with a certain Marilou Mendoza who was represented by one Dave Smith, the lawyers explained.
Later on, Smith, representing another Joey Laureno Sangol, purchased the yacht and a Deed of Sale was executed on July 2, 2008.
The sale to Sangol was authorized by Cebu Tranquila board of directors through a board resolution dated June 28.
The law firm also said that Cebu Tranquila properly endorsed pertinent documentation related to the transfer of ownership to its new owner after the execution of the Deed of Sale.
The Mandaue City government said the Cebu Tranquila was a duly registerd firm but filed ?retirement of business? on Dec. 11, 2007.
Eutiquio Sanchez, Mandaue City Deputy Administrator, said the firm was no longer operating in Mandaue. When it was still operating, the named proprietor/manager was a certain Dorinda Cinco.
According to the records at the Mandaue City Hall, Cebu Tranquila Realty, Inc. used to hold office at the Tulips Center along AS Fortuna Street
The Application for Retirement of Business no. 07-0379 was filed on Dec. 11, 2007 and was approved by Lorna Atega, Mandaue City Treasurer following inspections conducted on the establishment by representatives of Mandaue City government.
