Sunken oil tankers in Bataan, may be involved in “paihi” – Tulfo
ACT-CIS Representative and Deputy Majority Floor Leader Erwin Tulfo wants the Department of Justice (DOJ) to also look into the angle that the oil tankers which sunk during the height of typhoons Carina and Habagat may be involved in the “paihi” of oil.
Even Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla expressed belief that the three sunken ships were involved in illegal activities.
According to Remulla, it was not an accident but a crime committed by the said ship companies, after meeting with Philippine Coast Guard officials.
Cong. Tulfo said, “matagal ng gawain itong “paihi” sa lugar na yan para makaiwas sa pagbabayad ng buwis sa Bureau of Customs (BOC) ang ilang tusong oil importers “.
“Habang naka-angkla sa laot at malayo sa mata ng mga otoridad ang mga oil tanker galing sa ibang bansa, tatabihan ng mga local oil tankers natin, tulad ng mga lumubog na barko na yan, para ilipat ang kargang langis sa kanila”, Cong. Tulfo explained.
The lawmaker added, “At kapag na-load na ang mga imported na langis sa maliliit na tanker, derecho na ito sa iba’t-ibang pier sa bansa… entonces libre na talaga ito sa pagbayad ng buwis sa BOC”.
It can be recalled that motor tankers MT Terranova and MT Jayson Bradley, sank in Limay and Mariveles, Bataan during the height of Habagat last July.
A few days later, the MV Mirola 1 ran aground in Mariveles, Bataan.
According to Tulfo, “Bakit hindi sila sumilong muna gayong masama na ang panahon….kasi nga marahil iligal ang kanilang karga”.
“At kung mapatunayan ng mga otoridad na iligal ang kanilang lakad ng lumubog ang mga barko, kasuhan at ikulong ang lahat ng sangkot dyan”, the lawmaker said.
He lamented that many Filipinos will lose their jobs and the government will spend millions of pesos again on the clean-up operation due to the said oil spill caused by incidents.
