10 persons caught transporting corals in South Cotabato town

MAASIM, Sarangani Province (2 June) — Gov. Migs Dominguez called for stiff sanctions against 10 people, including a government employee who were apprehended by members of the Sarangani Provincial Mobile Group for extracting corals in Maasim Sarangani Province last Saturday, May 27, 2006.

“It is unfortunate that we are spending hundreds of millions in river protection, enforcement, building Sewerage Treatment Facilities and educating our people in protecting our remaining resources for future generations while others show recklessness in damaging our remaining resources for beautification purpose,” Gov. Migs said.

Teresa Garay, Action Officer of Kagandahan Gensan was aboard a government vehicle with nine others when they were caught in the possession of 24 corals of different species in barangay Tinoto, Maasim.

“I strongly condemn the actions of Ms. Garay. We will throw the books at those responsible for extracting our corals”, Gov. Dominguez Migs added.

Kagandahan Gensan is a project of the city government to beautify Gen. Santos City.

Garay was on board a white L300 van with plate number SHA 364, owned by the city government of Gen. Santos and was driven by Alejandro Objenares when they were caught in the act of transporting the corals from Maasim, Sarangani Province to Gen. Santos City.

Garay’s group could not present any permit or papers to show that they are allowed to extract corals.

R.A. 8550 also known as The New Fisheries Code of the Philippines prohibits the mere possession of corals save for lawful cause such as research and for scientific studies.

Those apprehended should prepare themselves to face the harshest legal consequence, Gov. Migs added.

The corals were confiscated and bought to the Provincial Police Office of Sarangani in Alabel where it was identified by the personnel of the Environment Protection and Conservation Center (ECPC) of Sarangani Province.

“To preserve and protect the environment is one of our primary concerns and we must strengthen our drive to protect our marine resources especially that we have just celebrated the 1st Sarangani Bay Festival” Sr. Supt. Efren Valeriano, Provincial Police Director of Sarangani, said 21 Acropora, 1 Millepora, 1 Porite, and 1 Montipora species of corals were identified by ECPC personnel.

Sec. 91 of R.A. 8550 Ban on Coral Exploitation and Exportation provides that it is unlawful for any person/corporation to gather, possess, sell or export ordinary precious and semi-precious corals, whether raw or processed form except for research and scientific purposes. Violations of the provision shall be punished by imprisonment from 6 months to two years and a fine from 2, 000 pesos to 20, 000 pesos or both.

The confiscated corals shall be either returned to the sea or donated to schools and museums for educational or scientific purposes or disposed through other means according to R.A. 8550. (Sarangani-IO/PIA 12)