DENR: Experts needed to enforce fishery laws

CEBU, Philippines - Marine conservationists here are calling on authorities to lobby for the appointment of special prosecutors for environment-related cases so that violations of environmental laws can be prosecuted properly.

This after the Cebu City prosecutor’s office cleared suspected illegal commercial operators from Cebu from charges for lack of adequate grounds.

Steve Vincent Larona, legal assistant at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7, said the absence of special prosecutors with expertise in environmental laws is one of the biggest shortcomings in local efforts to enforce fishery laws.

“Since cases are only dismissed, commercial fishers may think that it would be okay to disregard the laws because they can escape from being sued,” Larona said during a forum organized by the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO)-7 and the Philippine Information Agency-7.

He said it is possible that those cleared of charges will continue intruding the Tañon Strait, the country's largest protected seascape lying beside western Cebu.

Illegal human activities such as the intrusion of commercial fishing vessels, which has been prohibited, continue to threaten the rich and diverse marine resources at Tañon Strait.

Larona said that since they intensified enforcement of marine laws, at least five commercial fishers have been apprehended, four of which were from Cebu and one from Negros.

Violators were charged with criminal cases for violating Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, which provides the legal framework for the establishment and management of national integrated protected areas system.

However, the cases of four of the five violators were dismissed. Only the case against the vessel owner from Negros was elevated to court. 

Larona lamented that seaborne operation with other law enforcement agencies like the maritime police and Coast Guards will be useless if violators cannot be prosecuted properly.  (FREEMAN)