Foreign, local vessels seized for fuel smuggling off Tawi-tawi

COMBINED forces of the 112th Marine Company and the Philippine National Police apprehended two vessels suspected of smuggling some 400,000 liters of fuel into the country thru the Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi last January 28, 2023.

A belated report from Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi commander Brig. Gen Romeo Racadio said that personnel from the Taganak Municipal Police Station received information regarding an alleged illegal unloading of diesel in Lihiman Island, Taganak involving a foreign vessel and a local vessel.

Elements of the 112th Marine Company together with the Maritime Police and the Turtle Islands PNP immediately conducted a joint maritime patrol and spotted the foreign vessel, ‘Marnia Penang’ and a local vessel, ‘Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi’ anchored in the sea off Lihiman Island.

Initial investigation disclosed that the foreign vessel sailed from Deojor, Malaysia with 16 crew members onboard to unload the illegal 400,000 liters of diesel to the local vessel Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi from Navotas City with 13 crew members.

It was learned that the two vessels were anchored in the area for three days before the apprehension.

According to Rodrigo Sarol, the boat captain and manager of the local vessel, their vessel was linked up with the foreign vessel in the area to load the diesel as they are still waiting for another vessel to arrive with an additional 200,000 liters of diesel.

The two intercepted vessels were escorted by the authorities to the Taganak Pier and turned them over to the Philippine Coast Guard in Turtle Islands for proper disposition.

It is not yet clear if the apprehension is linked to the arrest by the PCG of 18 crews from three local boats off the Navotas Fish Port in Metro Manila who were apprehended also for diesel theft (see also Pinoy Exposé, February 3, 2023).