Biazon inspects unloading of diesel from oil tanker

MANILA, Philippines - Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Rufino Biazon yesterday inspected the unloading of diesel from a 50,000- metric ton oil tanker docked in Barangay Lucanin in  Mariveles, Bataan.  

Biazon said he wanted to personally  evaluate the procedure and ensure that appropriate taxes are paid.

“The discharge procedures for oil importations are already tight and leaves little or no room at all for shortchanging the government. Nevertheless, I decided to personally check the actual discharge of oil here, if only to ensure that these procedures are strictly followed and tight enough to protect government interests,” Biazon said.

Oil importation starts the moment an oil tanker enters the Philippine territory.

Representatives of the BOC, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Quarantine and security officers must be present before the cargo could be unloaded.

They would also check ship and cargo documents, including its last port clearance, voyage memo and cargo manifest from the port of origin.