Vietnam poachers nabbed in Palawan

Redempto Anda Inquirer Southern Luzon 25 Mar 11;

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—A Philippine law enforcement team onboard two slow outrigger boats caught six Vietnam nationals poaching inside Palawan waters using a speedboat fitted with three 60 horsepower engines.

Superintendent Rodel Garcia Lota, police chief of Balabac, said the Vietnamese fishers, who were arrested at around 6:30 p.m on Thursday while in the act of poaching in the reef area near the coastline of Balabac, Palawan’s southernmost municipality, fell into the trap set up by the team who posed as local fishermen.

Lota said the Vietnamese were fishing in the area just about 300 meters from the shoreline of Sitio Timbayan, Barangay Ramos, when Philippine authorities approached and outflanked them.

Outmaneuvered

He added the Vietnamese tried to break through the blockade but was outmaneuvered by the law enforcers from the Philippine Navy, Marines, maritime police and environment department and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

“They tried to escape but gave up when they realized we’ve outmaneuvered them,” Lota told the Inquirer.

Recovered from the unmarked Vietnamese speed boat believed to be operating in tandem with a mother ship were seven live sea turtles, two shells of dead marine turtles, nets and chemicals suspected to be used for stuffing dead marine animals.

Lota said authorities were unable to get the names of the Vietnamese and determine their exact origin because none of them spoke English.

Authorities are expected to bring the Vietnam nationals to Puerto Princesa City for filing of illegal entry and illegal fishing charges.

Untouchable Chinese

Conservation International Philippines (CIP) has identified the Balabac Strait Marine Biodiversity Conservation Corridor as a priority site for marine conservation because of its significance as a major passageway for tuna, sea turtles and marine mammals.

“This is a place where biodiversity faces destruction and exploitation on a daily basis.” said Romy Trono, country director of CIP.

Most poaching cases involving Chinese nationals caught in Palawan waters in the last 10 years have either been dismissed before reaching trial or downgraded to allow for lesser penalties of the convicted parties, said court records and monitoring reports by conservation groups.

Strong influence

CIP cited a most recent case involving Chinese nationals (Huang Pu et. al.) who were arrested in Balabac in November last year.

The case was left hanging when the suspects, who were allowed to post bail, disappeared and never showed up for their scheduled hearing.

A group of environmental NGO advocates, the Palawan NGO Network, claimed that former Justice secretary Alberto Agra sought the dismissal of the charges against the Chinese at the behest of the Chinese embassy.