TAWI-TAWI – The Philippine military ordered a tight guarding of the border with Sabah following the recent apprehension of a Malaysian vessel smuggling 400,000 liters of diesel fuel into the remote Filipino town of Taganak.
A Filipino military spokesman, Lt. Col. Abdurasad Sirajan has confirmed the apprehension of the vessel “Marnia Penang” whose crew members were caught unloading drums of fuel to a Philippine tanker “Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi” which is based in Navotas City in Metropolitan Manila.
He said patrolling members of the 112th Marine Company and the Philippine National Police in Turtle Islands seized the two vessels on January 28.
“According to Brig. Gen. Romeo Racadio, commander of Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi, personnel from the Taganak Municipal Police Station received information stating that an illegal loading of diesel is being undertaken in the area. Troops of the 112th Marine Company, together with the Maritime Police and the PNP Turtle Islands, conducted a joint maritime security patrol and validated the information,” Sirajan said.
He said Marnia Penang sailed from Malaysia with 16 crew members onboard to illegally unload 400,000 liters of diesel to the local vessel from Navotas, Metro Manila. Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi has 13 crew members onboard. “The vessels were anchored at the seawaters of Lihiman Island for the past three days before the apprehension,” Sirajan said.
During interrogation, Rodrigo Sarol, the boat captain and manager of the motor tanker Jaslyn Stacy Legazpi revealed the vessel linked up with Marina Penang in the area to load diesel, and they are still waiting for another vessel loaded with additional 200,000 liters of diesel to arrive.
Army Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, has ordered security forces to strengthen patrol in the border. “We do not tolerate any illegal activity in our area of operation. I commend all those concerned citizens who bravely feed us information regarding the illegal activities conducted in their locality. Rest assured that the Western Mindanao Command, through its joint task forces and Navy component units, will remain steadfast in curbing maritime crimes and other illegal activities,” he said.
The military did not release the names of the
owners of the two tankers. (Mindanao Examiner)
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