Imprisonment, fines await owner, crew of seized banca

Personnel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) examine the large “Trochus” locally known as “samong” that was found loaded in a banca that docked in Olango Island from Tubbataha Reef Natural Park in Palawan.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

Criminal charges await the owner and  crew members of a motorized banca that was seized in Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City for transporting sacks of prohibited species of seashells.

Jovilito Beñanel, owner of MB Josevel Joy 4, may be charged for violation of the Fisheries Administrative Order 208 which prohibits the taking and catching of prohibited species, said Alan Poquita, assistant regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7).

BACKSTORY: Bancas with sacks of ‘samong’ held off Olango Island

Violation of the order carries a penalty of imprisonment from 12 years to 20 years or a fine of P120,000.

The court can impose a fine or imprisonment or both, and forfeit the fisch catch and cancel the operator’s fishing permit.

Commander Weniel Azcuna, chief of staff of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Central Visayas, said  the fishing boat had no clearance to sail from Palawan to Cebu.

“A penalty of P40,000 to P60,000 is imposed for that violation. They can’t have their fishing boat back if they do not pay the fine,” he added.
Further investigation will be conducted by the PCG-7.

The fishing boat has been in the waters of Olango Island since July 8.

Azcuna said that the fishing boat’s registration recently expired.

It was learned the Beñanel is from Bagong Silang, Palawan.

The boat’s captain was identified as Paulino Denanel.

Only one crew member was around when the MB Josevel Joy 4 was seized.

He was identified as Enrique Dulawen.

“After the inventory, we will file charges against them,” Poquita he said.

Poquita said in the initial inventory yesterday, most of the species were identified as Trochus locally known as samong,  a large cone-shaped pinkish sea snail with a pearly inside to its shell.

The collection and trade of this species is prohibited under the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

A total of 64 sacks of Trochus were recovered from MB Josevel Joy 4 in yesterday’s inventory at Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City.

Each sack contained 50 kilos of Trochus shells.

Each kilo is estimated to cost between P15 and P30.

“We still have to find out  what those intercepted shells are for. After inventory, all will be disposed of in our facility in Carmen town,”  Poquita added.