A PHILIPPINE Navy patrol gunboat intercepted a tanker carrying P50.8 million worth of “undocumented” diesel fuel off Corregidor Island last Wednesday night.
Lt. Regeil Gatarin, spokesman of the Naval Forces Southern Luzon (NFSL), identified the vessel as M/T Braleman 1 manned by 11 crew members.
Gatarin said the vessel was intercepted by the Navy’s BRP Lolinato To-Ong at around 6 p.m. about 8.8 nautical miles southwest of Corregidor Island.
It was carrying 847,000 liters of diesel fuel with an estimated market value of P50.8 million, said Gatarin.
Before the operation, Gatarin said the NFSL received information regarding an apprehension alarm issued by the Coast Guard District Palawan, dated February 12, on the vessel.
He said the NFSL tracked the vessel at the vicinity of Cabra Island in Mindoro while moving towards Manila Bay until it was intercepted by the BRP Lolinato To-Ong.
BRP Lolinato To-Ong was one of the two Acero-class fast attack interdiction craft-missiles (FAIC-Ms) patrol gunboats recently acquired by the Navy from Israel.
The gunboat was commissioned into the service on November 28 last year in rites presided over by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
“The Philippine Navy will continue and ready to assist the government on its campaign against smuggling of fuel in the country,” said Gatarin.
