Liberian-flagged ship, inisyuhan ng Warrant of Seizure and Detention ng BOC

MANILA, Philippines — Bagama’t walang kontrabandong natagpuan sa loob ng Liberian-flagged na M/V Ohshu Maru, ini­syuhan pa rin ng Bureau of Customs (BOC) kamaka­lawa ng Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) ang naturang cargo ship matapos na madiskubreng palutang-lutang sa Bohol Sea simula pa noong nakaraang linggo habang patungo sa Port of Kinuura sa Japan.

Nabatid na isang grupo na binubuo ng Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Cagayan de Oro (CIIS-CDO) ng BOC, Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), at Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) ang nag-inspeksyon sa barko noong Mayo 1, 2024 ngunit wala silang natagpuang illegal shipment sa barko. Gayunman, kinostudiya pa rin ng BOC ang barko dahil bigo umano ang kapitan nito na mag-isyu ng Notice of Arrival nang magsimulang magpalutang-lutang sa Bohol Sea.

“The WSD is issued because the captain did not issue a Notice of Arrival when the vessel started drifting to the Bohol Sea, which as I understand from the field report, started last April 22. Under our rules, the ship’s master only has 24 hours after its arrival to file a notice or protest explaining the circumstances of the change in its course,” paliwanag ni BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio.

Isang Notice of Preliminary Conference Hearing din ang inisyu laban sa barko, kasama ng WSD.

Nag-execute naman ang master ng barko na si Capt. Pepito M. Agmata ng isang undertaking at Letter of Apology na may petsang Mayo 1, 2024 at nagpaliwanag sa mga sirkumstansiya kung bakit natagpuan ang barko na palutang-lutang sa internal waters ng Pilipinas.

Ani CIIS Director Verne Enciso, nakasaad sa liham na ang barko ay pinayuhan ng kanilang charterer na manatili muna sa isang ligtas na lugar sa Philippine Sea habang patungo sa Port of Kinuura. Pinayuhan din umano ito na magpalit ng kanilang estimated time of arrival sa kanilang original port of destination.

“Captain Agmata was also adamant that he and his crew did not allow any vessel to come close to their ship while it drifted to Bohol Sea. But while the letter expressed his apolo­gy for not reporting immediately, the vessel must still be subjected to seizure proceedings because it is the proper forum for Mr. Agmata to explain what happened,” ani Enciso.

Ibinunyag naman ni Deputy Commissioner for Customs Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy na “an intent to avoid detection of any irregular movements by the vessel” ang na­ging sanhi upang maging subject ito ng inspection procee­dings dahil sa posibilidad na sangkot ito sa smuggling activities.