Navy seizes boats with illegal tanbarks off Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Navy has seized 60 tons of alleged illegally extracted tanbarks from two ferry boats several kilometers off the the city's coast. Capt. Kode G. Daoas, chief of the Navy’s legal team, said they are coordinating with Environment official for the filing of charges against those involved. Intercepted on Monday were wooden-hulled ML Isnirin and ML Wendellyne which came from Tawi-Tawi province and bound for the city. The vessels and their cargo were brought to Naval Station Zamboanga for safekeeping, Mr. Daoas said. The tanbarks, or outer skins of a mangrove plant, were believed to have been illegally extracted from the coastal areas of Palawan and Tawi-Tawi. The law prohibits the cutting of mangrove and taking of its tanbark. Removing the bark will threaten the mangrove trees’ existence, Environmental officials said. The recent confiscation of tanbark was the second this year. Last month, members of the City Environment and Natural Resources seized 400 kilos of tanbarks in the coastal villages of Talon-Talon and Mampang in this city. The coastal barangays have at least 300 hectares of mangrove, which are home to and spawning areas for small fishes. Environment Regional Director Ernesto O. Adobo, Jr., said mangrove strips are mainly smuggled to Malaysia and Indonesia where they are used as source of organic dye for batik cloth. It is also used as additive for coconut wine. A kilogram of tanbark fetches P60. Last year, the regional office of the National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force has confiscated 38,000 kilograms of tanbark worth almost half a million pesos. The task force intercepted wooden-hulled M/L Burhana II at Caldera Point several kilometers away from Zamboanga City. The tanbarks were to be exported to Indonesia. Community Environment and Natural Resources Office data showed illegal shipments of tanbarks have been operating for decades. About 70% of mangrove areas nationwide has been converted for aquaculture purposes, or logged and reclaimed for industrial and settlement areas. - Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld