Warrant of seizure and detention issued against vessel, 11 trucks in Bataan fuel smuggling case

District Collector Atty. Kriden F. Balgomera of the Port of Limay revealed Friday that he had issued a warrant of seizure and detention against a vessel and 11 trucks allegedly used in a foiled fuel smuggling operation at Marina Beach, Barangay Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan.

At the same time, Collector Balgomera commended the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for assisting the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in apprehending those involved in the illegal importation and distribution of petroleum products.

The BOC and NBI seized a motor tanker, MV Effraine, and 11 lorry trucks, four of which were carrying a total of 674,520 liters of illicit fuel valued at ₱22.438 million.

The NBI-Criminal Intelligence Division (CRID), along with its Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence Divisions, led the enforcement action in collaboration with the BOC and other government agencies.

The operation resulted in the apprehension of individuals involved in the illegal fuel trade. Authorities confiscated MV Effraine and 11 lorry trucks, four of which contained 674,520 liters of smuggled fuel, valued at ₱22.438 million, during a 7 February raid.

In recognizing the efforts of the NBI and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Collector Balgomera said these agencies provided intelligence to the BOC, while customs personnel offered technical support to successfully thwart the smuggling attempt.

"This is not the first time the NBI, CIDG extend support to the BOC, and they are really helping us," pointed out Balgomera.

Balgomera added that fuel marking tests conducted on the seized fuel yielded "failed" results in both initial and confirmatory tests, confirming that the fuel did not meet legally required tax markings.

The district collector assured Bataan governor Joet S. Garcia that "we will implement the fullest extent of the law."

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio emphasized that the operation underscores the Bureau’s strong commitment to enforcing customs laws and safeguarding government revenues.

"Under the leadership of President Marcos, Jr., the BOC remains fully committed to supporting enforcement agencies like the NBI in their fight against smuggling and ensuring that all petroleum products in the country comply with tax regulations," Rubio stated.

The owners, officers, and crew members of MV Effraine will face charges for violating Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), as well as Republic Act No. 10963, also known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

This latest enforcement action aligns with the Marcos administration’s intensified campaign against economic sabotage and illicit trade.

District Collector Balgomera reaffirmed the BOC’s commitment to working with the NBI and other enforcement agencies to ensure that those engaged in fuel smuggling are held accountable.

"This is part of our intensified campaign under the Bureau’s 5-Point Priority Program for 2025," Balgomera stated.

The BOC remains dedicated to protecting government revenues and maintaining the integrity of the country’s trade system through strict enforcement and collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, the Port of Limay, under the leadership of District Collector Atty. Kriden F. Balgomera, collected ₱9.2 billion in revenue for January alone, exceeding its target by more than ₱532 million.

The Port of Limay’s revenue boost will contribute significantly to the Bureau of Customs’ 2025 collection target of ₱1.06 trillion, a 12.8% increase from last year’s target of ₱939.6 billion.

In his report to Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, Collector Balgomera stated that the Port of Limay collected a total of ₱9,219,262,663.13, surpassing its collection target of ₱8,687,229,286.06, resulting in a ₱532,033,377.07 surplus for January alone.

Collector Balgomera credited the achievement to the dedication and hard work of his personnel in meeting the Department of Finance’s (DOF) collection target.

Both the BOC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) face “challenging” collection targets this year, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto stated.

The DOF believes that the passage of priority tax measures—including excise tax on single-use plastics, Package 4 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, the rationalization of the mining fiscal regime, and reforms on the Motor Vehicle Users’ Charge—will help achieve higher collection goals.

According to reports, the Development Budget Coordination Committee expects government revenue collection to reach ₱4.383 trillion (16.5% of GDP) by the end of the year.

On average, revenue collections are projected to remain at 16.5% of GDP from 2025 to 2028, reaching ₱6.250 trillion (17% of GDP) by the end of the current administration.