Philippine authorities have apprehended five Chinese men and a Chinese-Filipino translator aboard a dredging vessel, the MV Sangko Uno, after discovering they were undeclared passengers. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) uncovered the group during a search of the ship, which was en route to Mindoro, as part of a routine check. The six individuals were not listed in the vessel’s manifest, violating maritime regulations.
The PCG used a K-9 unit to inspect the ship for illegal drugs and other contraband but found none. The passengers were hidden on the ship and only discovered during a thorough search. According to Coast Guard Captain Vicente Laca, the undeclared passengers may have breached immigration laws and falsified public documents, specifically the ship’s Master’s Declaration of Safe Departure (MDSD).
Initial investigations revealed that the Chinese nationals only held tourist visas. The translator claimed they were on board to teach the crew how to operate dredging equipment, not to work directly.
The ship’s captain, however, admitted that he informed management about the presence of the Chinese men but could not explain why their names were missing from the official manifest. Both the captain and the ship’s second mate are under investigation for potential accountability.
The arrested individuals were transported to the PCG detention facility in Taguig for further investigation