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Sunday, May 25, 2003
Giant clams seized in 3 cities, 1 town
CEBU -- Six multi-agency teams seized live giant clams locally known as tacobo, their dried empty shells and corals worth P200,000 in simultaneous raids in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Man-daue, Talisay and Minglanilla town Saturday morning.
Most of the items were taken from "sutukil" or seafood restaurants around the Mactan shrine in Lapu-Lapu City and "kilawan" in Tulay, Minglanilla, Cebu.
It was the first major operation of the Coastal Law Enforcement Alliance in Region (Clear) 7.
No one was arrested, though. A Cebu City Bantay Dagat official said those found possessing the giant clams should have been arrested because the mollusk is considered an endangered species.
Clear 7 said that dried giant clam shells are sold for about P40 each, but the processed ones can fetch as much as P400.
Also, prices of live giant clams are pegged at P120 to P300, depending on size.
Cebu City Bantay Dagat program director Elpidio dela Victoria said shipments of giant clams usually come from the islands of Bantayan, Camotes, Caubian and Bohol.
Joint raid
The joint operation on Saturday was part of the "market-denial campaign" of Clear 7, whose members include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 and the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, a nongovernment organization.
The PRO 7 has also recently established Task Force Kinhason, whose aim is to stop the trading of endangered species, arrest violators and inform the public on regulated aquatic species.
Although the joint teams seized a jeepload of empty clamshells, dried corals and half a sack of live giant clams yesterday, they did not apprehend any persons or storeowners for possessing such items.
All the confiscated clams and empty shells were placed in the Bfar compound on Arellano Blvd., Cebu City.
But Senior Insp. Raul Rendon, PRO 7 police environmental desk officer (Pedo) regional chief, said the instruction is to avoid arresting people, except when the owners resist or fight raiding teams.
Since it was their first major operation, Rendon said their initial objective is to educate the public that giant clams are one of the world's endangered species.
Leaflets
Aside from seizing the clams, Rendon said the teams also distributed leaflets about the endangered aquatic resources to the stallholders in public markets.
But dela Victoria said the raiding teams should have arrested the ones possessing the giant clams.
dela Victoria cited Section 97 of Republic Act 8550, or the Fisheries Code of 1998, which states that it shall be unlawful to take endangered species that have been listed in the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (Cites) wild flora and fauna.
Cites classified giant clam (scientific name Tridacna gigantus) as among the rare, threatened and endangered species.
The Philippines is one of signatories of Cites, an agreement of 150 countries to regulate endangered species.
The Fisheries Code imposes a fine of P120,000 or imprisonment of 12 to 20 years for those who violate it.
"It's an exercise in futility if no one is arrested. The arrest will teach the people that giant clam is not for sale," dela Victoria said.
On display
Dela Victoria joined the raiding team, but his group was assigned in the public markets in Cebu City.
Although giant clams have been internationally recognized as endangered species, they are prominently displayed in sutukil restaurants in Mactan Island, kilawan in Tulay, Ming-lanilla and Liloan town, just across the Municipal Hall, he said.
Bantay Dagat operatives seized 65 sacks of clamshells worth P80,000 from Zamboanga City last year, he added.
Dela Victoria called on the local chief executives to enforce the law against the illegal taking of Tridacna gigantus in their respective areas.
"It's very ugly to look at that the Philippines is one of the signatories of Cites but giant clams are prominently displayed here," he said.
Clear 7 said Cebu is one of the trading hotspots of Tridacna and corals.
Dela Victoria said the problem of giant clams will be included during the first regional congress of fish wardens in Central Visayas in Cebu City on Tuesday. GC/Sun.Star Cebu
(May 25, 2003 issue)
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