Apo Reef poachers to face criminal charges

Virgil Lopez/Sunnex - 

Ten fishermen who were reportedly caught poaching off Apo Reef Natural Park in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, will soon face criminal charges, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Thursday.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje issued the directive after a composite patrol team last September 18 caught them fishing and collecting marine products using hook and line without permit.

The Apo Reef is a “no-take zone”, making fishing illegal and punishable under Republic Act (RA) 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas) Act of 1992.

“We have to convey to the public that we are serious in our fight against despoilers of our environment, especially of our coral reefs which provide habitat to a diverse species of fish and other marine mammals,” Paje said.

Arrested were a certain Rey Gesihan, Dalmacio dela Cruz, Michael Magayon, Rey Mangao, Marcial Duroy, Portacio Magramo, Rizalito Magayon, and Edrian Ramos, all residents of Barangay Sta. Lucia in Sablayan; Gilbert Celino and JR Collamar of Barangay Buenavista, also in Sablayan.

DENR-Mimaropa Technical Director Edgardo Galeon, of the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services, said the fishermen were brought to the Sablayan Municipal Police Station for investigation.

At present, the boats and fishing paraphernalia were seized and placed under the custody of the DENR station in Apo Reef Island pending the outcome of the investigation and charges filed with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

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