LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 1 (PNA) — A top official of the Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines has defended Chief Supt. Victor Deona’s integrity after the controversial issue on illegal fishing payola in the Bicol Region cropped up.
The Bicol’s top cop and his regional intelligence officer have been accused by somebody, who refused to come out in the open, in the social media of receiving payola from big-time commercial fisher operators in the country.
“We don’t doubt the integrity of Gen. Deona, and this unfounded accusation is definitely being orchestrated by illegal fishers and their political allies who are hurt by the strict implementation of the country’s Fisheries Code in Bicol seas,” Vince Cinches, Greenpeace oceans campaigner, said.
The Bicol Region is notorious for rampant illegal commercial fishing, where large vessels encroach on municipal waters that are exclusive to small-scale fishermen, and Deona is instrumental for curbing the massive illegal fishing in the region, Cinches said.
In July 2013, during the oceans defender tour, the Greenpeace ship M/Y Esperanza and BFAR Region V personnel patrolled these same waters and apprehended commercial fishing vessels without proper licenses and which use prohibited fishing gear.
“A single illegal commercial fishing boat can rob 70 small municipal fishers of potential fish catch. If we can just take out even one illegal commercial boat from the sea, it would mean an additional 729 kilograms per day or 175 metric tons per year of potential fish catch which can be shared by municipal fisherfolk,” Cinches said.
“We are expecting an escalated attack from illegal fishers as the amended Fisheries Code will now prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal fishing with high penalties. Their happy days are about to end, and we will see to it that it will happen,” he added.
The Greenpeace official said the multi-sectoral campaign, including the efforts of Congressman Fernando Gonzalez, in Burias-Ticao Pass is paying off as close to 80 percent of illegal fishing, particularly in the Pass, is decimated.
“We urged the PNP to continue the legacy of General Deona by detailing a pro-municipal fisherfolk, pro-healthy ocean regional director once General Deona moves to Camp Crame to assume a higher position,” Cinches said.
Mar Guidote, Ecofish project enforcement specialist, also vouched for Deona’s integrity as one in the forefront of anti-illegal fishing campaign.
“I personally vouch for the integrity of General Deona, as he has been at the forefront of anti-illegal fishing since 2001 in his capacity as the provincial director, and we have reasons to believe that a group of illegal fishers coming from outside the Bicol Region is behind the demolition job,” Guidote said.
He commended Deona for his persistent and unwavering efforts to protect the seas and small fisherfolk of Bicol by going strongly against all forms of illegal fishing activity in the region.
“We have achieved a lot of victories in the region and we cannot be complacent, and must endure in strongly implementing our laws to protect our seas from destruction and overfishing,” he said.(PNA)