THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is eyeing the auction of three vessels they seized recently for transporting smuggled oil products in order to boost its revenue while continuing to donate their content to other government agencies.
Atty. Vincent ‘Jett’ Maronilla, BOC assistant commissioner and spokesperson, in a talk with PinoyExposé, confirmed the initial assessment of Intelligence Group (IG) director, Verne Enciso, that the agency can easily raise nearly P1 billion, if not much more, from the auction of the ‘MTKR Cassandra,’ ‘MT Tritrust’ and ‘MT Mega Ensoleillee.’
In an earlier talk to this paper, Enciso said they got their valuation of the seized vessels from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
The Cassandra was seized thru the quick reaction of the IG and the Enforcement Group at the Port of Batangas last October 16 while loaded with at least 1.8 million liters valued at over P90 million of smuggled fuel while in the act of transferring its content to 4 lorry trucks that also ended up being confiscated by the BOC. Initial estimate placed the value of the Cassandra at nearly P300 million
Tritrust and Mega, on the other hand, were apprehended last September 18 while also transferring their content of illicit diesel off the seas of the Navotas Fish Port.
The total value of the fuel and the two tankers was placed at P715.4 million, the BOC said in a statement.
In all incidents, the BOC said the vessels’ contents failed the ‘fuel marking test’ proving all of them are smuggled into the country by syndicates.
Maronilla added they would also continue with their policy of distributing the fuel, mainly diesel, to put them immediately to better use. Among the immediate beneficiaries of the policy are the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
‘PNP intel agents’ tried to intervene in Davao inspection
Meanwhile, Pinoy Exposé gathered that tension briefly arose between BOC operatives and several armed men claiming they are “PNP intelligence agents” who tried to interfere during their operation with the Philippine Army last October 22, in Tarragona, Davao Oriental, targeting smuggled diesel.
A report by ground operatives to CIIS chief Verne Enciso said the yet-to-be identified armed group first questioned the ongoing inspection by the BOC of the five lorries they flagged down along the national highway loaded with an estimated 238,000 liters of smuggled diesel.
The group urged the BOC operatives for a meeting with their “boss” but they stood firm and refused the request for a “parley” and proceeded with their inspection leaving the alleged cops with no other choice but to let them go.
Subsequently, unidentified members of the PNP went to the area of inventory in Bgy. Banaybanay and innocently asked for the authority of the BOC and the procedures in the conduct of fuel marking before leaving.
The BOC said the operation was conducted with the support of elements from the 701ST Brigade, 10th Infantry ‘Agila’ Division of the Philippine Army based on reliable information that a tanker vessel, ‘Aquaman 3,’ transferred the illegal diesel to the lorries which were cited headed to Mati when apprehended.
An on-the-spot fuel marking test conducted on all the lorries’ contents failed proving they are all smuggled.
Enciso commended the Philippine Army for staying with their operatives all throughout that prevented any untoward incident.