NEWS
Step up campaign against illegal logging, fishing

Illegal fisherman using compressors are caught by surprise by a seaborne patrol team off the eastern coast of Caramoan facing Catanduanes.

The relentless campaign of the Caramoan municipal government against all forms of illegal activities again netted dividends this month after the PNP apprehended violators of illegal logging and illegal fishing laws and ordinances.

Mayor Francis Benemerito disclosed that on January 11 a PNP team led by Deputy Station Commander Rizaldy Recierdo apprehended motorboat M/V Maritess at sitio Tila in the island Barangay of Gata in Caramoan while transporting 83 pieces sawn lumber with a total volume of 1,277.19 board ft. valued at around P35,000.00.

The motorboat was said to be owned by one Merly Terrobias of Sipaco, Lagonoy but all four crew members apprehended could show no papers as to the ownership of the lumber or the vessel.

Apprehended were Ramon Ramirez y Molina of San Roque, Legazpi City; Roger Galvano y Monsalvo of Sipaco, Lagonoy; Dominador Barcia y Cabrillas of Sipaco, Lagonoy; and Elizalde Balbalosa y Avenion of Victory Village, Legazpi City.

Station Commander Nestor Padua said the apprehending team also included SPO1 Cesario Alerta, PO2 Jose Narvato, and PO1 Rowell Pagao. The hot cargo was turned over by the PNP to the DENR through Forester III Paul Gonzales after appropriate charges were filed against the violators.

Municipal Kagawad Vicente G. Azaña (second from right) supervises the turnover of confiscated sawn lumber from Caramoan PNP Station Commander Nestor Padua (right) to DENR Forester Paul Gonzales (next to Azaña)

The vessel was believed loaded with lumber at barangay Sipaco along the north coast of Lagonoy where illegal logging operations are reported to be still going on and supplying lumber yards in Tabaco City. In another incident, five persons all claiming to be residents of Pagbilao, Quezon were charged for violation of a municipal ordinance after they were caught by a seaborne patrol team off the eastern coast of Caramoan fishing with the use of compressors without license on November 14, 2006.

Charged were Jojo Cielo y Huit, Rodrigo Tisoy y Teneo, Hernan Delloro y Aquino, Edgar Lambohon y Teradeo and Carlito Deolan y de la Serna, all claiming to be from Pagbilao, Quezon.

The Seaborne patrol team was led by Elmer Guevarra, OIC municipal agricultural officer, and included Rino Beltran and Jeffrey Sancho of the Caramoan LGU and three members of the Caramoan PNP, namely, PO3 Rodel Valencia, PO3 Magno Cepriaso and PO1 August Florece.