Navy Confiscates Illegal Logs in Cagayan and Palawan, Apprehend Poachers

By: LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office

Friday, 23 October 2009

The Philippine Navy confiscated illegal logs and apprehended poachers in Cagayan and Palawan in three separate ocassions last week.

Members of the Naval Special Operations Unit-2 intercepted a motor banca carrying 46 pieces of lumber (red lawaan) in the vicinity of San Vicente Island, Sta Ana, Cagayan, Friday evening, 16 October 2009. The undocumented forest products measuring 680 board feet have an estimated market value of P20,000.00. Aso discovered aboard the motor banca was a chainsaw unit worth P30,000.00. The Navy team was conducting seaborne patrol in the area when it spotted the watercraft.

Meanwhile, Navy personnel conducting maritime patrol in Canabongan Island, Balabac, Palawan also intercepted a watercraft transporting around 100 pieces of illegally cut lumber, locally known as Ipil, Thursday afternoon, 15 October 2009. The forest products measuring 1,000 board feet and bound for Malaysia have an estimated market value of P52,184.40

In another operation in Palawan, personnel from the Tubbataha Reef Detachment (composed of personnel from the Navy, Coast Guard, LGU-Cagayancillo, and Tubattaha Management Office) apprehended five individuals who were caught transporting 10 sharks, considered as endangered species, aboard a watercraft Thursday morning, 15 October 2009. The authorities who chased F/BCA Alma Mae after it gnored warning shots discovered the creatures when it conducted board and search procedure. Also discovered were various fishing gears and paraphernalia.

Apprehending authorities were forced to throw away the dead sharks midway off Tubbataha and Puerto Princesa City while on its way to escort the five crew members of F/BCA Alma Mae to Puerto Princesa City for proper turn-over to local authorities.

The Navy remains committed to the protection and preservation of our marine resources especially in the vulnerable fringes of our territorial waters that are seldom patrolled. As in the many circumstances in the past, the Navy endeavors and perpetuates the protection of our economy and patrimony especially in the vast and porous borders of our maritime nation.