00:00The investigation into the sinking of three ships in Bataan, which caused an oil spill, continues.
00:08This includes the possibility of it being related to the so-called modus paehi.
00:16Here is Rod Lagusan's report.
00:19Possible connection.
00:21This is part of the red flags that the Justice Department is looking at
00:25to the sinking of three ships that caused an oil spill in Bataan and Karatig.
00:30According to Undersecretary Raul Vasquez,
00:33in the investigation of the National Bureau of Investigation
00:36together with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority,
00:39it is being looked at whether the sinking was intentional,
00:42whether there was negligence, or whether there was a conspiracy.
00:44The sinking of the MT Terra Nova, MKTR Jason Bradley, and MV Merola One is close.
00:51The possibility of a modus paehi is also being looked at,
00:54or the sale of oil from a vessel to another vessel,
00:56to avoid the payment of taxes.
00:59DOJ explains that when the oil goes to the Bureau of Customs,
01:03it puts a proof marker that it paid taxes.
01:07Jason Bradley, in fact, has a seizure order from Customs
01:15because he was involved in a case before that was pending here with us.
01:20And that is because of oil smuggling.
01:23That is according to the investigation of the NBI when they verified the records.
01:28Let's just say the history of that kind.
01:32In the investigation of the NBI, together with MKTR Jason Bradley,
01:37in the first case, the modus paehi was found.
01:40But it was successful, and the bad tanker was the only one caught.
01:43In the first case, it was found to have resulted in a seizure order from the BOC.
01:47The possibility that MV Merola One is also involved in illegal activities is also being looked at,
01:52especially since it is not yet registered.
01:54According to the Coast Guard, it escaped from Nabotas.
02:00So all those wheels, red flags, all of that.
02:05Second, why did it sail without a clearance from the Coast Guard?
02:10At the Sinagawang Bataan Oil Spill Interagency Investigation Meeting at the DOJ,
02:14the owner of MT Terranova and its insurance company visited.
02:18While part of MKTR Jason Bradley is the two-wedge company that will carry out the siphoning or oil smuggling here.
02:25According to the DOJ, the ships should already be loaded.
02:28To confirm, examine and compare the oil inside Terranova
02:41and what else is inside the two ships.
02:44Because that's where you will know if those ships have a connection.
02:47Or it's just coincidental that they just happened to be near each other.
02:51While in the two ships, it depends on the result of the siphoning or oil smuggling here.
02:57According to the DOJ, there is no clearance and no insurance for the two ships.
03:02The DOJ also said that the owner of MT Terranova promised
03:05for civil compensation to affected fishermen and residents.
03:09At the moment, there are 31,000 in Cavite and 21,000 in Bataan that were affected
03:15by the first incident of the owner of MT Terranova and its insurance company.
03:20Rod Laguzad for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
