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Poaching, Bribery Raps Set vs Chinese
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/11/929298/poaching-bribery-raps-set-vs-chinese
(The Philippine Star) | Updated April 11, 2013 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The 12 crewmen of the Chinese fishing vessel that ran aground at the Tubbataha marine reservation late Monday night would face several charges including poaching, the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) said yesterday.
Complaints for violations of various provisions of Republic Act 10067 or the Tubbataha Act of 2009 – poaching by foreigners, unauthorized entry, damage to the reefs and destroying and disturbing resources – will be filed against the Chinese, the TMO said.
The 12 will also face administrative charges plus a complaint for corruption of public officials for attempting to bribe Tubbataha marine park rangers with $2,400.
“Marine park rangers have custody of the $2,400 with which the fishers reportedly attempted to bribe them,” according to an article posted on the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park website.
The PCG plans to de-fuel and offload heavy cargo from the Chinese fishing vessel in a bid to refloat it.
PCG commander Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said they would extract at least 80,000 liters of fuel.“We hope the vessel will refloat on its own once its heavy load and fuel are removed,” Isorena said.Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, PCG-Palawan District commander, said they were waiting for PCG vessel AE 91 or BRP Corregidor to arrive from Manila to begin the offloading.
Isorena said the Philippine government cannot compel the Chinese government to pay the cost of salvage operations since the vessel is privately owned.He said they would instead ask the Chinese embassy to help in identifying the owner of the fishing vessel.The PCG is also looking into confiscating the vessel to offset the cost of salvage operations.
Meanwhile, a military source raised suspicion that the 12 Chinese crewmembers were not fishermen but were conducting spying operations in the country’s maritime domain.
“From their looks, they’re not the typical Chinese fishermen we used to arrest and charge in court for illegal fishing and poaching within our territorial waters,” said a military source, who examined the suspects when they were taken to a military hospital in Palawan yesterday.
Another source said China could have been highly suspicious over the grounding of the USS Guardian in Tubbataha, and could have dispatched its own people to conduct a random check on the area.
“We will know these things once the investigation being conducted by concerned authorities surrounding the grounding is done,” another senior security official said.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/11/929298/poaching-bribery-raps-set-vs-chinese
(The Philippine Star) | Updated April 11, 2013 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The 12 crewmen of the Chinese fishing vessel that ran aground at the Tubbataha marine reservation late Monday night would face several charges including poaching, the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) said yesterday.
Complaints for violations of various provisions of Republic Act 10067 or the Tubbataha Act of 2009 – poaching by foreigners, unauthorized entry, damage to the reefs and destroying and disturbing resources – will be filed against the Chinese, the TMO said.
The 12 will also face administrative charges plus a complaint for corruption of public officials for attempting to bribe Tubbataha marine park rangers with $2,400.
“Marine park rangers have custody of the $2,400 with which the fishers reportedly attempted to bribe them,” according to an article posted on the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park website.
The PCG plans to de-fuel and offload heavy cargo from the Chinese fishing vessel in a bid to refloat it.
PCG commander Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said they would extract at least 80,000 liters of fuel.“We hope the vessel will refloat on its own once its heavy load and fuel are removed,” Isorena said.Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, PCG-Palawan District commander, said they were waiting for PCG vessel AE 91 or BRP Corregidor to arrive from Manila to begin the offloading.
Isorena said the Philippine government cannot compel the Chinese government to pay the cost of salvage operations since the vessel is privately owned.He said they would instead ask the Chinese embassy to help in identifying the owner of the fishing vessel.The PCG is also looking into confiscating the vessel to offset the cost of salvage operations.
Meanwhile, a military source raised suspicion that the 12 Chinese crewmembers were not fishermen but were conducting spying operations in the country’s maritime domain.
“From their looks, they’re not the typical Chinese fishermen we used to arrest and charge in court for illegal fishing and poaching within our territorial waters,” said a military source, who examined the suspects when they were taken to a military hospital in Palawan yesterday.
Another source said China could have been highly suspicious over the grounding of the USS Guardian in Tubbataha, and could have dispatched its own people to conduct a random check on the area.
“We will know these things once the investigation being conducted by concerned authorities surrounding the grounding is done,” another senior security official said.
