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Monday, October 15, 2007
Tuna producers slam maritime cops for 'extortion'
GENERAL SANTOS -- Catchers of large mature tuna have cried foul over alleged extortion acts perpetrated by the local maritime police, an accusation vehemently denied by the agency.
Rogelio Lim, Sr., vice chairman of the Alliance of Tuna Handliners, exposed the purported unscrupulous practice of the maritime police before the City Council late last week.
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"They're asking not only fish but money from our fishermen in the guise of the fight against terrorism. All personnel of the local maritime police are involved in this nefarious activity. We are standing up to fight for our rights," an angry Lim told the local legislative body.
Lim strongly called for the pull-out of the local maritime police so the sufferings of the fishermen will stop, describing the maritime personnel as "pests and fools."
He said maritime police are not just victimizing members of the alliance of their extortion activities but also operators of purse seiners, which catches small tuna processed by the canneries in the city.
Councilor Mariano Gonzales asked Lim and his group to execute an affidavit regarding their complaint and file a case at the City Prosecutor's Office.
"The council can provide the necessary assistance to the alliance (in seeking redress). We hope there will be a witness who will stand up from the start until the end (of the case that will be filed)," Gonzales said.
Lim said the local maritime police "created a new law" regarding fishing operations and the agency personnel are acting "above the [existing] law".
He claimed that the extortion activity allegedly perpetrated by personnel of the local maritime police has been on going on in the last few years and 90 percent of the fishermen under the alliance have been victimized.
Lim said they came out only lately since the alleged extortion activities of local maritime police personnel are taking a toll on their fishing operations.
PNP Central Mindanao Maritime Division Chief Remegio Letrero denied the accusations of Lim’s group saying they are willing to face an investigation.
Letrero, however, confirmed they are conducting a crackdown on unregistered fishing boats below three gross tons.
"We're doing this as part of our counter terrorism measures. It's possible that unregistered fishing boats will be loaded with bombs and will be use in terrorist attacks," Letrero told a local television station.
The police official said it is possible that a syndicate is using the maritime police in extracting money from the fishermen.
Letrero said they have apprehended several fishing vessels that have no registration papers and this is above board since they are operating illegally.
"The crackdown on unregistered fishing boats is meant to force the owners to register their units, not to extort money or gasoline from them. We don't tolerate extortion in our ranks," he added.
The Alliance of Tuna Handliners is composed of over 2,500 large pump boats that employ at least 40,000 fishermen, with an annual landing catch of over 30,000 metric tons of high value tuna worth P4.5 billion, industry records showed.
Handline fishing employs hook and line and described as one of the best ways in catching large and matured tuna and marlins.(Sun.Star General Santos/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (October 15, 2007 issue)
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