Motor bancas to be impounded, owners to be sanctioned

Coast Guard spells out consequences for motor bancas caught violating entry ban in Cebu

Lieutenant Junior Grade Erick Salcedo (left), Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas spokesperson, warns owners of motor bancas from outside Cebu to not try to violate the entry ban in the province or they would have their vessels impounded. | Screengrabbed from Alven Marie Timtim’s video

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Motor bancas coming from outside Cebu that will be caught entering the seawaters of the province will be stopped and the sea vessel will be impounded.

Aside from that, the vessel’s owner will also be sanctioned.

The Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7) gave this warning to motor Banca owners from outside Cebu, who plan to enter the province from the sea.

 Lieutenant Junior Grade Erick Salcedo, PCG-7 spokesperson, said during a press briefing on March 15, 2020 that they would implement these measures after Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia ordered to ban the entry of sea vessels in the province as a precaution against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Salcedo said they would continue to patrol, warn, and apprehend those who would violate the governor’s order.

Read more: Cebu bans entry of passengers from Negros Island

Governor Garcia’s executive order prevents the entry of passengers from Negros Island starting Sunday, March 15, 2020.

Passengers from other ports will not be allowed to enter Cebu starting March 18, 2020. 

Read more: Cebu to ban entry of passengers from outside province

“We will ensure that no vessel from other areas will be entering the province once the order will start,” said Salcedo.

However, Salcedo clarified that those vessels coming from Camotes Islands and Olango Island, which only travel within the province, would be exempted from the entry ban.

Rolling cargoes for deliveries are also exempted from the ban to allow the flow of goods in the province, but personnel will undergo screening procedure. /dbs