Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has approved the turnover of 1,251.68 liters of confiscated gasoline to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to bolster its efforts in safeguarding the country’s maritime borders, help in its security operations and deter smuggling.
In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said this is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to intensify the fight against smuggling and strengthen national security.
“This donation not only shows our commitment to bolstering our defense sector, but is a clear warning to all businesses that any illicit act will not go unpunished,” Recto said.
“We will never let any form of abuse or illegal activity go unpunished,” he added.
The 1,251.68 liters of gasoline were forfeited by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) pursuant to Section 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) for violating fuel marking regulations.
Fuel marking, which involves injecting chemical identifiers into tax-paid oil products, is being carried out under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act to curb the smuggling of petroleum products.
The program uses an official fuel marker, a unique chemical marker detectable at a molecular level, allowing for authorities to test, identify and distinguish petroleum products with paid excise taxes in the market from those without.
Random field testing is conducted by the BOC, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the fuel marking provider on depots, tank trucks and retail stations to determine the presence and/or dilution level of the fuel marker on petroleum products subject to marking.
Fuels found to be unmarked or with marker levels below the prescribed dilution level will be immediately subjected to confirmatory testing in an accredited testing facility of the fuel marking provider.
Section 1141 of the CMTA authorizes the donation of goods subject to disposition to another government agency, upon the approval of the DOF Secretary.
