Put poachers to jail – solon by Jun 22, 2013 11:06am HKT RE-elected Rep. Abigail Faye Ferriol of partylist Kalinga wants to totally eradicate the illegal activity of foreign shipping vessels in the Philippine waters under a bill imposing a stiffer penalty against poaching. Ferriol vowed to re-introduce House Bill 5430, which amends the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 or Republic Act 8550 by imposing a fine of $100,000 and a jail term of 12 years to foreigners found guilty of poaching. She filed the same bill in the 15th Congress. Ferriol said the illegal activity of foreign nationals in the Philippine waters must be addressed and the implementation of stricter penalties in the form of imprisonment should compliment RA 8550. The bill provides that foreigners charged with poaching shall not be released unless all fines imposed are fully paid. Ferriol said there is a need for stricter penalty to emphasize that it is unlawful for foreign persons, corporations or entities, to fish or operate fishing vessels inside Philippine waters. The fisheries code states that the entry of any foreign fishing vessel in Philippine waters shall constitute prima facie evidence that the vessel is engaged in fishing in Philippine waters. Aside from the imposition of $100,000 and a 12-year jail term to violators, government authorities can confiscate their catch, fishing equipment and fishing vessel. The violators may also face an “administrative fine” of not less than $50,000 but not more than $200,000 or its equivalent in Philippine currency. “Poaching in Philippine waters by foreigners has long been a perennial problem in the country. Reports of foreign vessels caught by the naval authorities periodically form part of the news,” Ferriol said. Ferriol said these incursions are often coupled by plunder of the country’s natural resources and the severity of this problem was exposed in several instances when a vast collection of corals and other marine species was seized by the authorities. “Foreigners were also arrested for illegal possession endangered marine species in the Southern Philippines,” Ferriol said. Recently, the relationship between the Philippines and Taiwan was strained when a responding member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) allegedly killed a Taiwanese fisherman, reportedly fishing in Philippine waters illegally.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 18:20:49 +0000
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