DOJ looking into possible 'conspiracy' in Bataan oil spills

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has seen "red flags" in the sinking of three vessels in Bataan which caused oil spills, noting it is not discounting a possible "conspiracy" connecting the incidents.

- EMMANUEL TUPAS

Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said among the red flags they noticed was that the areas where the vessels sank were near each other.

"The three vessels were three to five nautical miles away from each other. We can draw a lot of conclusions from there," Vasquez said.

The DOJ official did not dismiss conspiracy in the incidents, saying that these may be "deliberate."

While it is too early to draw conclusions, Vasquez said there are many questions that need answers. He did not give further details as the factfinding investigation is still in progress.

In a separate statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that motor tanker Terra Nova was involved in oil smuggling as it just roamed around the area where it sank.