Navy arrests 122 Vietnamese poachers

By Mario J. Mallari

The Daily Tribune, Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Arrested Vietnamese poachers, aboard seven fishing vessels, off the waters of Palawan province last Monday reportedly hoisted Philippine Flags to their boats, apparently to avoid being monitored as intruders by government security forces patrolling the area.

A total of 122 Vietnamese fishermen are now under custody of the Balabac Municipal Police Station (MPS) in Palawan after Navy sea borne patrol, led by Maj. Ferdinand Atos of the Naval Station Balabac, caught them within the country’s territorial waters off Balabac.

Aboard F/V Z-M 001, 0002, 003, 004, 005, 006 and 007, the Vietnamese were reportedly caught hoisting Philippine Flags while fishing.

Western Command (Wescom) spokesman Maj. Niel Estrella said that the Navy troops initially inquired for identification from the Vietnamese but could not answer back.

“The encroaching Vietnamese vessels were found to be flying Philippine flags but when our sea borne patrol approached for verification and identification purposes, the crew members could not speak Tagalog,” Estrella said.

The Navy operatives, along with members of the Balabac MPS, subsequently apprehended the Vietnamese and brought them to the local police headquarters.

The latest intrusion in the country’s territorial waters off Palawan province happened while Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. were visiting Wescom.

Gazmin’s short visit to Wescom was prompted by recent reports of intrusion by unidentified jet fighters within Philippine-occupied territories at the disputed Spratly group of islands on South China Sea.

The Defense chief instructed AFP troops to remain vigilant in conducting air and sea patrol along the country’s territorial waters.

Gazmin’s visit also came after the visit of Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie amid tension brought about by the reported buzzing of alleged Chinese MIG-29 jetfighters against Philippine Air Force OV-10 Broncos. The Chinese official denied having MIG29s in their inventory.

Only last March, two Chinese patrol boats harassed a Department of Energy exploration vessel at the Philippine-occupied Reed Bank on the disputed Spratlys on South China Sea, which are being claimed in whole or in part by the Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Tribuneonline.org

Navymen overall champ

Philstar, Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Dahil sa kanilang taglay na agresibong lakas, muling ipinamalas ng Philippine Navy ang kanilang supremidad nang kanilang ibulsa ang 8 mula sa 9 na gintong medalyang pinaglabanan sa senior category at mapasakamay ang division title sa pagtatapos ng 2004 National Juniors, Seniors and Women’s Amateur Boxing Championships sa Panabo Multi-Purpose gym.

Ang kampanya ng Navy team ay binanderahan nina SEA Games veteran Junie Tizon at Ferdie Gamo ng kanilang walisin ang open category kung saan tanging ang paboritong si Larry Semillano lamang ang nabigong manalo makaraang lumasap ng 15-14 pagkatalo sa mga kamay ni Francis Joven ng Philippine Army sa welterweight class.

Umagaw naman ng atensiyon ang RP team sophomore na si Albert Pabila na umukit ng gold sa pinweight class makaraang igupo si Marvin Somodio 34-13, nang kanyang mapagwagian ang ‘Best Boxer’ sa seniors category ng taunang tournament na ito.

Tanging ang 24-anyos na si Joeven ang nakaligtas sa pananalasa ng Navy team matapos na mapuwersa ni Franklin Albia ang Armyman na si Ernanie Desabille na magretiro may 1:16 sa fourth round ng kanilang lightflyweight fight, habang umiskor naman si Tizon ng RSC-O na panalo sa 29 segundo ng third round kontra sa Airman na si Mary Joy Tagbe sa lightheavyweight finals.

Ang iba pang nagsubi ng ginto ay sina Joan Tipon sa bantamweight class, Joegin Ladon sa lightweight fight, War-lito Parinas sa flyweight category, featherweight Ferdie Gamo at lightwelterweight Mark Jason Millegen.

Philstar.com

Coral reefs destruction in the PHL alarming

by Minerva BC Newman, Sunday, May 29, 2011

CEBU, May 29 (PIA) - Environmentalist in Central Visayas are alarmed over the continuous destruction of the country’s coral reefs.

According to reports marine life area damages measured about twice the size of Manila and poachers harvested more than 21,000 pieces of black coral, killed hundreds of marine species including 161 endangered turtles with market value of about P35M.

Just last week, the Bureau of Customs in Cebu seized about P15M worth of black corals that prompted Malacanang to call on the public to boycott jewelries that are made from black, blue or red corals.

Based on media reports, poaching ravaged approximately 7,000 hectares of sea bed within the Moro Gulf and the Sulu Sea.

Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and Committee on Climate Change filed a resolution to look into the said incident and called the attention of government agencies mandated to enforce Republic Act 8550 or the Fisheries Code of the Philippines.

According to the DENR there are estimates that one square kilometer of healthy coral reef can support as much as 35 metric tons of live fish.

Legarda lamented that of the 27,000 square kilometers of the country's existing corals only five percent (5%) are in excellent condition.

This situation is indeed very alarming considering that this kind of environmental exploitation has been banned for thirteen years.

A damage of this magnitude could have been prevented with the strict implementation of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines that Congress passed in 1998, environmentalists commented.

Under the Fisheries Code of 1998, a ban is imposed on the exploitation and exportation of corals as well as the fishing and taking of any rare, threatened and endangered species.

Mandated to enforce this code are the law enforcement officers of the Department of Agriculture, the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police and law enforcement officers of the LGUs and other government enforcement agencies, such as the various Bantay-Dagat teams of the local government units.

These corals do not just grow overnight. They take years to form. Destroying coral reefs is stealing the homes of marine life organisms, Legarda said.

“Our law enforcement agencies should go after the perpetrators of this crime against nature and ensure that our seas and marine species are safe from such cruelty,” the senator passionately added.

It is lamentable that a nation like the Philippines that is blessed with a rich biodiversity has been included as one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots largely because of these acts that destroy the country’s natural resources, environmentalists here said.

In conclusion, Legarda stressed the importance of authorized law enforcement officers to prevent violators to cause such irreparable harm to coral reefs and this should not be tolerated. (PIA-7/mbcn/ with reports from the Office of Senator Legarda)

PIA

Tell it to the Marines

Photo By Sonny Espiritu

Philippine Star, Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Female marines in full battle gear take part in the celebration of the 113th anniversary of Philippine Navy at its headquarters on Roxas Boulevard, Manila