- PCG has filed charges on a cargo vessel for date misdeclaration.
- It misdeclared the dates to evade the quarantine period imposed by PCG to prevent virus outbreak.
- The ship AIS showed a discrepancy in its travel history as the captain turned it off for a period.
- PCG has imposed a 14-day quarantine period after which the BOQ issue certificates.
- Due to misdeclaration, the BOQ inspected the vessel in six days thus endangering the lives of others.
According to an article published in the Inquirer, the Philippine Coast Guard has filed a cargo vessel for date misdeclaration to evade the quarantine period.
What happened?
Panama-flagged cargo vessel allegedly misdeclared the date it went to China in a bid to evade the mandatory quarantine period imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
According to Commodore Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, “The MV Harmony 6 arrived in the country on Sunday and claimed that it left Changzhou, China, on February 10. This meant that its arrival coincided with the end of the two-week quarantine period required for vessels coming from COVID-infected countries.“
Discrepancies noted
A review of the ship AIS showed a discrepancy in its travel history and appeared in Philippine waters suddenly.
An investigation into the ship’s movements found that it left China not on February 10 but on February 18. It was also learned that the ship’s Vietnamese captain, Luu Van Loi, turned off the AIS from February 19 to 23.
AIS switched on arrival
The AIS, which tracks a ship’s location and movement, was only switched on hours before its expected arrival at the Port of Poro Point in La Union province.
Luu told authorities that while he did turn off the AIS, he did so because the system was not providing accurate information. He failed to comment on the misdeclaration.
Due to the captain’s “misrepresentation,” the BOQ personnel conducted the health check on the crew just six days into their 14-day quarantine period. Because of this incident, a case of fraudulent declaration would be filed against the captain. Currently, the vessel is held under temporary detention.
PCG’s quarantine measures
- According to PCG’s guidelines in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the following rules have to be adhered to.
- Ships should first complete the 14-day quarantine period, especially if they came from a country where there are recorded cases of the disease.
- To date, there are 38 countries affected by the disease, which originated in Wuhan City in China’s central Hubei province.
- Only when the quarantine period had ended will personnel from the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) board the ship and conduct a health inspection of its crew.
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Source: Inquirer.Net
