Teves upholds forfeiture of Malaysian vessel used in La Union oil smuggling

SAN FERNANDO, La Union – Finance Secretary Margarito Teves affirmed on Tuesday the decision of the district collector of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) here on the forfeiture of a Malaysian vessel involved in oil smuggling in Poro Point last January.  

The ship, MTUG Sungai Julan, if auctioned, will fetch at least P100 million.

On Teves’ authority, Finance Undersecretary Gaudencio Mendoza Jr. signed the decision overruling the Oct. 8 ruling of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales.

“The decision of the Commissioner is hereby set aside and the decision of the district collector, ordering the forfeiture in favor of the government of MTUG Sungai Julan and its cargo, 77,058 liters of crude oil, is hereby affirmed,” stated the decision, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR.

Morales, upon the recommendation of his lawyers, Vincent Fernandez and James Enriquez, earlier reversed the decision of district collector Edward Baltazar and ordered that the ship be released upon payment of a fine of P10, 000.

Last March 23, Baltazar ordered the forfeiture of the ship after he found probable cause based on the results of the investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Ilocos.

The vessel has 12 crewmen – seven Indonesians and five Malaysians – but only its captain, Muhammad Tahir, and chief engineer, Ronald Situmpol, were charged along with four Filipinos. 

The criminal case filed with the Department of Justice includes two Customs personnel, a maritime policeman, a quarantine officer, and the owner and driver of a tanker.

Last week, the crewmen who were not included in the case, sought clearance from the BOC so they could go home and be with their families before Christmas.

With Teves’ decision, they can now go back to their country through the assistance of their embassies in Manila.