400-K liters of smuggled fuel intercepted
ZAMBOANGA cITy — The Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi on Tuesday reported that authorities arrested 29 individuals — 16 foreign nationals and 13 Filipinos — after they were caught unloading 400,000 liters of diesel fuel worth P29.6 million from a foreign vessel to a local oil tanker near the Philippine-Malaysia sea border.
JTF-Tawi-Tawi commander Brig. Gen. Romeo Racadio disclosed that soldiers of the 112th Marine company and the Turtle Islands policemen caught M/T Marnia Penang, a foreign vessel, unloading 400,000 liters of diesel to M/T Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi on Saturday.
Authorities also placed under custodial interrogation the 16 Malaysian national crew members of Marnia Penang and 13 Filipino crews of Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi.
Racadio said personnel from the Taganak Municipal Police Station received a tip from a concerned citizen that M/T Marnia Penang was unloading diesel fuel to M/T Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi at Barangay Lihiman, an island within Turtle Islands.
Investigation showed that Marnia Penang with 16 crewmen sailed from Deojor, Malaysia, to illegally unload 400,000 liters of diesel to Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi, a vessel from Navotas city with a 13-man crew.
Rodrigo Sarol, the boat captain of Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi motor tanker, also told police they linked up with Marnia Penang in Lihiman Island to load the diesel fuel.
“They (Sarol and crew) are still waiting for another vessel loaded with additional 200,000 liters of diesel to arrive,” Racadio said.
The two vessels were turned over to the custody of the Philippine coast Guard based in Turtle Island town for proper disposition.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, Western Mindanao command chief, said they will not tolerate any illegal activity in their area of operation.
“Rest assured that WestMincom, through its joint task forces and Navy component units, will remain steadfast in curbing maritime crimes and other illegal activities,” he said.