10 Vietnamese fishermen nabbed for alleged poaching in Palawan

Ten Vietnamese fishermen were arrested for alleged poaching in Philippine waters, belated reports said Thursday.

The reports stated that at 9:48 a.m. on August 8, the Philippine Navy's BRP Gregorio del Pilar was patrolling the vicinity of Malampaya Gas Project, Tapuitan Island, El Nido, Palawan when it sighted a fishing vessel which had no Automatic Identification System (AIS) signature.

The vessel was found to be carrying a Vietnamese flag and was identified as FV Hua Houng.

The authorities immediately conducted Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) around 10:56 a.m. and found that the vessel had 10 crewmen on board and containing more or less 70 pieces of slaughtered sharks and fine meshed fish net.

Arrested were Nguyen Thanh Hiep, 46, boat captain; Vo Van Lang, 47; Phan Dung, 49; Truong Cao Ky, 51; Dinh Van Hai, 46; Bui Van Bao, 30; Tran Ngoc Son, 24; Do Hung, 54; Nguyen Van Huynh, 56; Nguyen Cung Vu, 22, all Vietnamese nationals and fishermen from Phuyen, Vietnam.

The vessel, crew, fish, and fishing paraphernalia were brought to El Nido municipality after they coordinated with Philippine Coast Guard El Nido for proper disposition.

On August 9, a composite team of El Nido municipal police station, PCG, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, local government unit, PN, and PCSD proceeded to the area and conducted an inventory of the material/equipment aboard the foreign fishing vessel

All materials and equipment were turned-over to Rey Templonuevo, officer in charge of the Provincial Fishery and Aquatic Resources Officer of Northern Palawan while the suspects were under the custody of El Nido police for proper disposition.

Charges of poaching will be filed against the suspects. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ/KVD, GMA News