The Philippine Navy intercepted on Wednesday a tanker carrying smuggled diesel fuel worth at least P50.8 million near the Corregidor Island.
The M/T Braleman manned by 11 crewmen and loaded with at least 847,000 liters of diesel was intercepted by the Navy ship BRP Lolinato To-Ong, 8.8 nautical miles southwest of Corregidor.
Lt. Regeil Gatarin, public affairs office head of the Naval Forces Southern Luzon, said the unit received an apprehension alarm against M/T Braleman from the Philippine Coast Guard District, Palawan on Sunday.
This prompted the Naval Forces Southern Luzon to track down the tanker at the Cabra Island in Mindoro as it sailed toward Manila Bay where it was intercepted by the BRP Lolinato To-Ong.
Gatarin said the Navy ship picked up five customs officers at the Batangas Port to serve a “seizure and detention warrant” against the tanker.
“The Navy will continue and ready to assist the government on its campaign against smuggling of fuel in the country,” Gatarin said.
The BRP Lolinato To-Ong is the second ship of the new Acero-class Fast Attack Interdiction Craft-Missile (FAIC-M) patrol gunboats of the Navy that were acquired from Israel.
It was commissioned on November 28, 2022 and placed under the operational control of Naval Forces Southern Luzon.
