A seamen’s group wants officials of the Maritime Industry Authority in the dock over the alleged misimplementation of incentives for the purchase of new maritime vessels.
The United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) sought graft charges and administrative sanctions against current administrator Marcial Quirico Amaro III and nine former Marina officials in a complaint filed with the Ombudsman.
The complaint assailed the approval of Marina Circular No. 15-04, which serves as the implementing rules of Executive Order No. 909, issued by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2010.
UFS, led by its president Nelson Ramirez, accused Marina of arrogating unto itself the authority to grant “pioneer status” to brand-new vessels classed by the International Association of Classification Societies.
The pioneer status entitles a ship owner to incentives, tax holidays and fee discounts under EO 909.
But the UFS claimed it is the Board of Investments (BOI) that should evaluate and accept applications for “pioneer status” as defined in the Investment Priorities Plan for 2009.
“Nowhere in EO 909 does it state that Marina may grant ‘Pioneer Status’ to qualified ship owners and operators. It was excluded because that power is vested exclusively with BOI,” the complaint read.
“Respondents’ approval of MC 2015-04 took this power away from BOI and arrogated it to Marina.”
The group complained that Marina usurped the BOI’s authority and unduly expanded the coverage of EO 909, which only grants a 50-percent discount on processing fees as a six-year protection of investment.
Anomalous
UFS said the Marina circular was also anomalous because a provision was inserted allowing a six-year moratorium on the deployment of ships in routes used by the “pioneer status” grantees.
Thus, UFS accused the Marina officials of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for causing undue injury to the government and giving unwarranted benefits to private parties.
They were also accused of the administrative offenses of grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Amaro was named respondent as the current implementor of the circular, having granted “pioneer status” to several applicants.
His fellow respondents include former administrator Dr. Maximo Mejia Jr., former deputy administrator for operations Atty. Gloria Banas, and former board members Benel Lagua, Jonathan Tariman, Hector Miole, Rommel Antonio Cuenca, Emma Panopio, Dario Alampay and Roberto Umali.