The KM Alisha from Indonesia and the Tarsier Nautika from Hong Kong are two foreign vessels detained at the Tagbilaran City port, for not having the required papers in entering Philippine waters. (Photo by Leo Udtohan, Inquirer Visayas, Dec. 10, 2015)
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Tagbilaran detained two foreign yachts that docked at the Tagbilaran Tourism Port in Bohol province over the weekend.
Lieutenant Benjie Quinisio, PCG Tagbilaran station commander, said KM Alisha from Indonesia and Tarsier Nautika from Hong Kong didn’t have the proper documents to allow them to stay and sail within the Philippine territory.
“Two yachts are detained because Coast Guard Tagbilaran station is intensifying security measures to make sure that within our area of responsibility, all vessels transiting are legitimate,” said Quinisio.
“If they lack the documents, we have to investigate,” added Quinisio who already informed the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Quarantine and the Maritime Industry Authority about the two yachts for appropriate action.
“We don’t want to take chances,” said Quinisio.
He also told Philippine Daily Inquirer that the yachts had no crew onboard during their inspection.
But he said he received reports that the five Indonesian crew of KM Alisha left last November.
He said that KM Alisha’s caretaker Miklos Csere, a Hungarian national, told PCG personnel that the owners of the yacht were set to arrive and the boat and crew would sail to different tourist destinations and dive sites in Bohol and Cebu.
KM Alisha could not present its papers, which were allegedly with the Manila-based Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) because the owners wanted to change the registry from Benoa, Bali, Indonesia, to the Philippines.
Quinisio said Floro Manatad, boat captain of Tarsier Nautika, only presented the port clearance issued by the Hong Kong China Marine Department.
“The boat captain could not provide pertinent documents during the visit, he said.
Quinisio, however, said they didn’t find any contraband inside the yachts during inspection.
He added both KM Alisha and Tarsier Nautika would stay detained at the Tagbilaran port until their representatives could provide the required documents.
“Unless they present documents legitimizing their stay here, we will assume that they are threats because they are already violating Philippine laws,” Quinisio said. SFM