Customs chief tours US submarine docked at Subic

MANILA, Philippines - Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon was given a tour of the USS North Carolina (SSN-777) yesterday morning and said the US Virginia class fast-attack submarine impressed him.

Biazon said he was fortunate since he knew that he was the only civilian visitor allowed to board the US submarine since it surfaced in Subic last Sunday. The sub is scheduled to leave today.

Biazon said an officer toured him inside the submarine for about an hour, where he was shown the torpedo room and a few interesting facts about the sub that he said was fascinating.

“It is quite impressive. It is one of the latest models of submarine such as this, the first submarine without a periscope. They use remote videos. It is nuclear powered but it does not carry nuclear weapons. I was able to visit the torpedo room and saw conventional weapons,” Biazon said.

“This type of submarine is an attack submarine, generally used for patrol…they do not use nuclear weapons,” he added.

From the tour, Biazon learned that the submarine could stay under water for as long as six months.

“It has technical sophistication and they can produce their own air, and produce their own water. The level of technology is really high,” he said.

“It is something that we can only dream of,” Biazon remarked.

The submarine was earlier reported to have been designed to operate with stealth, agility and endurance in the world’s littoral regions, as well as the deep oceans.

Biazon admitted that he is fond of visiting military vessels that make port calls either in Manila or Subic since he became a member and later the vice chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security when he was still with the House of Representatives.

Biazon also inquired about the purpose of their visit in Subic.

He was informed that it was a “courtesy visit” and it was a routine port call.

They also needed to replenish their supplies, Biazon was told, and for their sailors to have some “R and R” since they have been in the submarine for months.

The USS North Carolina came to Subic at a time when the Philippines is involved in a standoff with China over ownership of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which is just 124 nautical miles from Zambales.