Arrested foreign poachers in Cagayan Valley fined $25,000
FLORO TAGUINOD, GMANews.TV
12/17/2009 | 04:24 PM
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The regional fisheries office of Cagayan Valley has scored one against foreign poachers – and earn for itself some $25,000.
The amount was the “compromise fine" paid to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) by four Taiwanese fishermen who were caught illegally fishing inside Philippine territory three months ago.
A report from the BFAR regional office said the four - Liou Rong Tsair, Guu Ming Jong, Huang Ping Ho and Lee E Ren - were apprehended within the vicinity of Calayan Island off Aparri in the northernmost province of Cagayan last September 20.
The foreigners were aboard their vessel, BK 6705, when they were arrested by elements of the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Taiwanese poachers paid the fine for the settlement of an administrative case filed against them by the BFAR-led anti-illegal fishing task force.
Director Gil Adora, officer-in-charge of the fisheries department’s central office, said the early dismissal of the administrative case through the payment of administrative penalty is advantageous to the government.
The poachers claimed that they were merely taking shelter from a bad weather when they were apprehended - a claim supported by a certification from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa).
Probers, however, took into consideration the fishing gear equipment recovered from the boat. They said the pieces of equipment were more suited for deeper waters and not at the place of apprehension, which was a mere 1.5 nautical miles from nearest shoreline.
BFAR said the case was resolved after the respondents made a voluntary offer of compromise fine, which was contrary to past poaching cases wherein the arrested fishermen would employ “illegal and corrupt means to get out of government custody."
Adora said the administrative fine is lower than the minimum prescribed by law, but it was nonetheless accepted after learning that the four Taiwanese do not have the capacity to pay larger amount and that the money was secured through a loan in their home country.
The $25,000 fine has brought the total administrative penalties collected by BFAR from arrested foreign poachers to P255,000 or roughly about P13 million. - KBK, GMANews.TV
The amount was the “compromise fine" paid to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) by four Taiwanese fishermen who were caught illegally fishing inside Philippine territory three months ago.
A report from the BFAR regional office said the four - Liou Rong Tsair, Guu Ming Jong, Huang Ping Ho and Lee E Ren - were apprehended within the vicinity of Calayan Island off Aparri in the northernmost province of Cagayan last September 20.
The foreigners were aboard their vessel, BK 6705, when they were arrested by elements of the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Taiwanese poachers paid the fine for the settlement of an administrative case filed against them by the BFAR-led anti-illegal fishing task force.
Director Gil Adora, officer-in-charge of the fisheries department’s central office, said the early dismissal of the administrative case through the payment of administrative penalty is advantageous to the government.
The poachers claimed that they were merely taking shelter from a bad weather when they were apprehended - a claim supported by a certification from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa).
Probers, however, took into consideration the fishing gear equipment recovered from the boat. They said the pieces of equipment were more suited for deeper waters and not at the place of apprehension, which was a mere 1.5 nautical miles from nearest shoreline.
BFAR said the case was resolved after the respondents made a voluntary offer of compromise fine, which was contrary to past poaching cases wherein the arrested fishermen would employ “illegal and corrupt means to get out of government custody."
Adora said the administrative fine is lower than the minimum prescribed by law, but it was nonetheless accepted after learning that the four Taiwanese do not have the capacity to pay larger amount and that the money was secured through a loan in their home country.
The $25,000 fine has brought the total administrative penalties collected by BFAR from arrested foreign poachers to P255,000 or roughly about P13 million. - KBK, GMANews.TV
