Sailors want BOC clearance released before Christmas

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Ten of the 12 crew of MTUG Sungai Julan 1, the vessel involved in alleged oil smuggling in Poro Point last January, wanted the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to give them clearance so they can leave the country and be with their families on Christmas day.

Five Indonesians and five Malaysians, who are not part of the smuggling case, are asking Commissioner Napoleon Morales to implement immediately the forfeiture decision against the ship so they can get clearance. The seamen, who are confined at the ship for more than 10 months now, aired their concern to BOC personnel here who are regularly checking their condition.

BOC staff said the crew already knew that the forfeiture decision of lawyer Edward Baltazar, the district collector, has been affirmed by the BOC legal department but it was delayed and overdue for implementation because it was still pending at the office of lawyer James Enriquez, Morales’s chief-of-staff.

“The decision was delayed. They wanted to be home before Christmas. They are very worried and they are thinking of their families because their employer allegedly held their salaries,” the staff, who requested anonymity, told The STAR.

Among the 12 crew, only Muhammad Tahir and Ronald Situmpol, both Indonesians, ship captain and chief engineer, respectively, were charged.

The Indonesian Embassy, through Rosanna Suparmono, chief of consular affairs, wrote Morales on Oct. 10, seeking the immediate release of the Indon seamen and also requested for an update on the status of the case of her countrymen.

“The Embassy seeks the Commissioner’s guidance for the immediate settlement of the case so that all crew members could leave the Philippines once they have secured clearances,” Suparmono said in her letter. It was learned that the crew, who are not included in the case, should have been released as early as September because the BOC’s legal department affirmed on July 30 the decision on the seizure of the vessel including its cargo, 77,058 liters of crude oil.

The affirmation was received by the Commissioner’s office on Aug. 28 and Morales should have rendered a decision within 30 days through the recommendation of Enriquez.

A source said that several BOC officials in Manila are trying to reverse the decision because they allegedly received money from the owner of the ship.