THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into the involvement of the three vessels involved in the oil spill in Bataan to smuggling, Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said on Saturday, August 18, 2024.
In a media forum, Vasquez said investigators noted several red flags involving M/T Jason Bradley, M/V Mirola 1, and M/T Terranova.
M/T Terranova sank off the coast of Limay, Bataan on July 25 while MTKR Jason Bradley capsized off the waters of Mariveles on July 27.
The M/V Mirola 1 ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of Sitio Quiapo, Barangay Biaan, in Mariveles on July 31. It was carrying diesel oil.
These incidents have caused oil spill off the waters of Bataan and neighboring coast lines particularly in Cavite, particularly that the MT Terranova was then carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial oil.
Vasquez said the Jason Bradley has a pending case on oil smuggling at the DOJ after one of the ships fled from the scene of a joint anti-oil smuggling operation of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-OTCD) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in December last year.
“Iyong Mirola, mas matindi. Iyan ay supposed to be seized na unregistered, no records, no nothing, it’s not even subject on an insurance. Same thing with Jason Bradley. Ang kagandahan ng Jason Bradley lang iyong owner nag-hire na ngayong ng salvor para iangat. Kasi kailangan nating malaman kung ang tatlong iyan ay kenektado, magkakalapit, lapit eh,” Vasquez said.
“All this sinking happened within an area of roughly five to 10 nautical miles within each other. That’s another red flag,” he added.
Vasquez also noted that MT Terranova sailed for 26 hours but travelled a distance of only three nautical miles.
“Pero, three nautical miles lang ang nalampas niya, ang nalayo niya. Saan nagpunta? Isa pa, naglayag noong parating na iyong bagyo. Normally kung isang maritime expert ka, you go south. Ang tawag nila diyan eh, layunan mo iyong bagyo. Huwag kang paikot-ikot diyan,” he said.
“Pero, lumubog siya three nautical miles, nakikita mo lang. Sinasabi nila nagkakaroon daw ng engine trouble. That’s the subject of investigation,” he added.
Justice secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier expressed belief that these ill-fated vessels are involved in “pa-ihi” or the transferring of oil to smaller vessels.
Vasquez said the insurer of MT Terra Nova and the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) are willing to compensate those affected by the oil spill caused by the vessel’s sinking off the coast of Bataan.
He said roughly 21 inhabitants of Bataan and 31,000 inhabitants of Cavite have been identified as probable claimants of the compensation. (TPM/SuStar Philippines)
