Ship officials decry arrest of crew by maritime cops

Officials of a shipping firm has decried the arrest and detention of their crew by the Maritime Police for alleged gasoline pilferage last week, saying the lawmen only put their hauling operations in jeopardy and put the name of their company in bad light.

Anacorito Handayan Jr., operations manager of Shogun Ships Inc., owner and operator of the motorized tanker Margarita, told The STAR that officials of the Special Operations Unit of the Maritime Police had compelled his company to file charges against their own crew in exchange for their release.

"We have no choice but to file charges of qualified theft against our crew since they are involved in a task that is imbued with public interest," Handayan said.

MT Margarita hauls aviation fuel for a major oil firm from its Bataan refinery to its depot in Pandacan, Manila.

Last April 28, crewmen of the Margarita were arrested by the Maritime Police while allegedly unloading aviation fuel into another tanker, the MT Lolita, off Manila Bay.

Superintendent Leonardo Suan of the Maritime Group’s Special Operations Unit claimed Margarita captain Cabigas Cipriano and his nine men were selling fuel at a very low price to Lolita Co. the owner of MT Lolita.

Police said the two tankers were moored side by side when they were spotted.

Suan said the Maritime Police were placed on high alert following a series of gasoline pilferage involving cargo vessels at sea.

Handayan decried the illegal arrest, saying there was no prima facie evidence that their vessel was unloading gas fuel into the Lolita.

"How can there be pilferage, as the officers have claimed, when our tanker’s cargo hold was intact and secured with seals. They only acted on mere suspicion," Handayan said.

A report from Elite Adjusters and Surveyors Inc., the oil firm’s cargo surveyor, showed there were 1,098.36 metric tons of aviation fuel discharged at the Pandacan terminal on April 28, slightly higher than what was loaded at the Bataan refinery of 1,097.23 metric tons.

"It is very clear that the Margarita delivered the entire aviation fuel load," Handayan pointed out. "So how can police claim there was pilferage of fuel taking place when they spotted the two tankers off Manila Bay in the early morning of April 28?"

Shogun Ships management said it was willing to prosecute any of its workers engaged in criminal acts, since under its contract with the oil firm, the client can deduct any payment due for any losses or pilferage suffered by the oil company while under custody of their haulers.