PCG detains 17 vessels over dredging activities off Zambales

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Friday, March 22, that it has detained 17 out of 28 inspected vessels allegedly involved in dredging activities off Zambales due to "deficiencies".
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan directed the conduct of a marine environmental protection (MEP) inspection and vessel safety enforcement inspection (VSEI) on board the 28 vessels that were conducting dredging operations in Zambales from March 19 to 21.
This, after reports surfaced that numerous vessels were spotted by alarmed residents doing dredging activities near the coastal community of San Felipe.
After the inspection, the PCG found out that the vessels involved in the dredging activities yielded a total of 344 deficiencies, said PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo.
In fact, 17 of them had “detainable deficiencies” and all of them are bareboat charters registered in the Philippines. The PCG, however, did not specify what deficiencies were incurred by the vessels.
Further, during the inspection, the PCG discovered that there are three foreign vessels involved in the dredging.
These were a cutter section dredger with six deficiencies and operating under the flag of China; a Sierra Leone-flagged anchor boat with seven deficiencies; and a Panama-flagged tugboat with 12 deficiencies.