7 Chinese in Zambales face raps for immigration law breach

Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) serve the arrest warrant against the seven Chinese crew of a detained vessel in San Felipe town, Zambales in this photo taken on Sept. 27. | PHOTO COURTESY OF PCG ZAMBALES

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — The Philippine Coast Guard is closely monitoring seven Chinese crew members of a detained vessel in San Felipe town after posting bail last week following charges of violating immigration laws.

Commander Euphraim Jayson Diciano, chief of the PCG station in Zambales, said each crew member posted P120,000 bail for two counts of violations of the Philippine Immigration Act.

After their lawyer facilitated the posting of bail at the Regional Trial Court Branch 69 in Iba town, the crew members were taken back to a resort in San Felipe where they had been staying.

“Previously, they were staying at the resort as part of the detained ship’s crew. Now, although they’ve posted bail, the treatment will be different, and they will be monitored more closely,” Diciano said in an interview.

On Sept. 27, PCG personnel served an arrest warrant issued by the local court against the crew.

Since the PCG station lacks a detention facility, the crew members were transported back to the resort under stricter supervision, including confiscation of their phones.

The charges stemmed from the unauthorized entry of their Sierra Leone-registered vessel Hyperline 988 into the waters of San Felipe in May.

According to the PCG, the ship flew only the Philippine flag despite being foreign-registered and ignored radio challenges from authorities without providing a justifiable reason.

The ship has been detained since May 16 after the PCG identified 21 deficiencies in its documentation.

No permits or crew lists were presented during the inspection, and the ship’s captain revealed that they had anchored in San Felipe waters to avoid high fees in Manila, despite the absence of a port facility in the town.

On May 29, while en route to change anchorage, the vessel ran aground at an unfinished pier in Barangay Maloma. It eventually broke in half on Sept. 5 due to rough seas during recent typhoons.

After being delayed for months, the salvage operation for the distressed vessel faced another setback due to bad weather.

The salvage team is currently taking shelter at Silanguin Cove, Zambales, waiting for favorable conditions to resume operations.

Diciano said the vessel’s bow could still be floated, but the stern was beyond repair.

“The vessel’s fate depends on the owner’s decision—whether to scrap it or attempt reconstruction,” he said.