BOC to file raps vs consignee of illegal coral shipment

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday said that it will file charges against the consignee of an illegal shipment of corals in the country. Speaking after the Senate environment committee hearing on Wednesday, Major Isabelo Tibayan of the BOC said the bureau will file a case this Thursday against consignee Exequiel Navarro. Tibayan said Navarro violated Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act when he signed on behalf of the people who were possibly involved in the shipment of two 20-foot container vans loaded with stuffed marine turtles, black corals, and seashells. Violation of RA 9147 is punishable by imprisonment of up to six years and a fine of up to P1 million. Earlier in the day, environment committee chairman Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri cited Navarro for contempt after he failed to show up during Wednesday's hearing. In an interview after the hearing, the senator said Navarro is a key witness who can identify the people behind marine life poaching in the country. "The cargo documents are equally important because there’s a paper trail but we have to verify [if] these names on these cargo documents are actually authentic and not fictitious," he said. The Department of Trade and Industry promised to give the Senate committee all the names and addresses of the people who may possibly be involved in the illegal trade, according to the committee chairman. Teams from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will inspect other areas where similar activities may possibly be happening, he likewise said. However, Zubiri cited the need to create an interagency task force to purge such illegal activities and an international legal team to inform foreign countries that patronize Philippine coral resources. "We also would like to remind our government agencies not to take this lightly. They sent us underlings but this is a very important investigation. This is a matter of national security, this is economic sabotage," he said. — VS, GMA News