MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said Sunday that it is set to investigate reports that the three oil tankers carrying more than a million liters of oil which sank off the coast of Bataan might be involved in smuggling.
Assistant Commissioner and concurrent BoC spokesman Vincent Philip Maronilla said that Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio gave marching orders to the bureau's intelligence group to intensify the drive against oil smuggling, particularly the so-called “paihi (pee)” scheme, where oil is illegally siphoned off.
“The customs chief specifically directed the intelligence unit to conduct an investigation in various Bataan ports, where oil smuggling is allegedly most rampant,” Maronilla said.
Rubio issued the directive in response to the ACT-CIS partly-list Representative and Deputy Majority Floor Leader Erwin Tulfo's call to look into the angle that the sunken oil tankers may be involved in oil smuggling.
MT Terranova and MT Jayson Bradley sank off in Limay and Mariveles, Bataan during the onslaught of southwest monsoon (habagat) enhanced by Typhoon Carina in late July. A few days later, the MV Mirol 1 ran aground off Mariveles.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla also expressed belief that the three sunken ships were involved in illegal activities.
Tulfo said that through the “paihi” system, the fuel carried by oil tankers is siphoned off by barges and smaller vessels in the middle of the sea.
“Said vessels then bring them to small private ports where there are no customs authorities for disposal to the local market without paying a single cent to the government,” added Tulfo.
Tulfo expressed belief that ill-fated motor tankers were carrying illegal cargoes considering the fact that despite the bad weather they did not seek shelter.
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