THE two motor bancas, which were used in an attempt to ferry 15 Chinese nationals from Cabul-an Island in Buenavista town in Bohol Province to Cebu City as Storm Basyang was passing Central Visayas, were held by the Philippine Coast Guard.
LT JG Michael John Encina, operations officer of the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7), said that they had also informed boat operators — Leonides Socobos, 53, and Jundel Cabugason, 24, that they committed 15 violations when they agreed to ferry the Chinese nationals on that day.
These included leaving port without a Coast Guard clearance, failing to comply with the Masters Declaration of Safe Departure requirement, operating without a special permit to operate in domestic trade, having no certificate of public convenience, having no copy of certificate of ownership and having no passenger ship safety certificate.
Encina, however, said that the two operators were not arrested but were only warned to be available for the investigation but their boats were placed in their custody.
Encina also said that they had already issued the enforcement inspection apprehension report and the Maritime Violation Receipt (MVR) to the two undocumented motor bancas.
The investigation of the two operators was done because they left port near the Getafe market to bring the 15 Chinese to Cebu City despite the order of the Coast Guard of no ships to sail because of the gale warning issued by the Coast Guard.
An investigation showed that the motor bancas left at 2:28 p.m. in Talibon town.
Encina said that they received a call later from Ethel Natera of the Chinese Consulate office informing them of 15 Chinese nationals onboard undocumented motorbancas which had engine trouble off Cabul-an Island in Buenavista Bohol.
The Coast Guard then conducted a search and rescue operation and found the two motorbancas with the Chinese nationals onboard at 4 p.m. in the island.
The Coast Guard rescued the Chinese nationals and the two boat operators.