Philippines loses PHP30 billion to oil smuggling

The Philippine government said it is losing more than PHP30 billion (US$728 million) in tax revenues due to oil smuggling. Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. Vice-President for Communications Roberto Kanapi, citing data from the Petroleum Institute of the Philippines, said the figure could go up.
Kanapi said direct smuggling in the country is done through the use of small oil tankers and fishing boats that load oil products from a mother ship stationed in international waters.
Technical smuggling, on the other hand, is done through false declarations and undervaluation. “As an industry, we can help the government in the testing facilities,” Kanapi said. “There are small things we can do to help,” he said. (November 26, 2012)