Eighteen crewmembers of a vessel and three motorbancas were arrested by the Philippine Coast Guard after they were caught in the act of illegally siphoning diesel from a vessel in Navotas City.

According to the PCG, the suspects were nabbed for fuel pilferage (colloquially called “paihi”) last 28 January while the PCG was doing a routine patrol at Navotas Fish Port.

Five of the 18 suspects were seen transferring diesel fuel from cargo vessel M/V MIROLA 1 into the motorbancas Palawan Pirates 2022, Palawan Pirates 2023, and Palawan Patrick.

About 20,000 to 30,000 liters of diesel was siphoned from the M/V MIROLA 1 to the three motorbancas.

The PCG discovered that the group was already notorious for the theft of gasoline from various docked vessels, not only in the ports in Metro Manila but also in the Bataan and Batangas ports.

The suspects were immediately held at the Coast Guard Sub-Station in Navotas, and proper charges are being readied against them.