Coast Guard probing ship which misrepresented China departure date to enter PHL; criminal charges eyed

The Panama-flagged cargo vessel “MV Harmony 6” which is now bing investigated by the Philippine Coast Guard after its captain allegedly declared false information of its port clearance details amid intensified Philippine maritime security measures against 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). (Photo courtesy Philippine Coast Guard)

(Eagle News) – A Panama-flagged cargo vessel that came from China and misrepresented its date of departure there is now being investigated by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the possible filing of criminal charges.

Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Joel S Garcia has ordered the probe of Panama-flagged cargo vessel “MV Harmony 6” after its captain allegedly declared false information of its port clearance details amid intensified maritime security measures against 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The vessel’s captain, Luu Van Loi, a Vietnamese national, declared that it left China on Feb. 10, instead of the actual date of departure of Feb. 18, so it could enter the country’s waters and dock, to fit into the 14-day quarantine period being strictly implemented in all major ports in the country as a security measure against COVID-19.

The ship MV Harmony 6 arrived in Changzhou, China on Feb. 13 and left on Feb. 18, the PCG later learned.

“The 14-day quarantine period dictates that MV Harmony 6 and other vessels that came from any country with reported cases of COVID-19 shall have a 14-day period from its date of departure from China to its arrival to the Philippine waters, before the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) may conduct health inspection among its crew that is needed for the issuance of port clearance,” a PCG statement said.

“However, due to the Captain’s misrepresentation of its date of departure from China, the BOQ team boarded the vessel to conduct the health inspection among its 18 Vietnamese and five Indian crew in just six days, instead of the required 14-day quarantine period,” it said.

The Panama-flagged cargo vessel “MV Harmony 6” which is now bing investigated by the Philippine Coast Guard after its captain allegedly declared false information of its port clearance details amid intensified Philippine maritime security measures against 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). (Photo courtesy Philippine Coast Guard)

The ship’s crew even intentionally turned off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) from Feb. 19 until its arrival to the Philippine waters on Feb. 23.

The PCG Command Center said that on Feb. 24,  it was able to alert the post state control in La Union where the ship was scheduled to have its next port call

This was a few hours after the BOQ conducted the health inspection of its crew.

“Immediately, the vessel was declared under temporary detention at the anchorage area while the investigation about the violations is ongoing,” the Coast Guard’s statement said.

“PCG will coordinate with BOQ to identify possible criminal charges if MV Harmony 6 will be found guilty of mentioned violations,” it said.

Rear Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan, Chief of Operations of the PCG, said that the Coast Guard would continue to exert all possible efforts to uphold maritime safety and maritime security at major ports of entry in the country by ensuring the strict implementation of guidelines and preventive measures against COVID-19.