Philippine Navy scours for muro-ami vessel

The word was flashed all over — the Philippine Navy has joined the National Bureau of Investigation in the search for a muro-ami fishing vessel that has 13 Binalbagan, Negros Occidental fishermen on board.

The MV San Pio is reportedly engaged in muro-ami, a banned fishing method, according to the testimonies of eight Binalbagan recruits who were allowed to disembark in Navotas after they had paid their cash advances from Prime E., a placement agency allegedly owned by the Abines family of Cebu.

The tale dished out to Rep. Ignacio Arroyo, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s brother-in-law, was a sordid story of brutality, malnutrition and extremely hazardous diving which the youngsters could no longer cope with, hence their desire to redeem themselves.

Arroyo has not only asked the NBI to probe MV San Pio’s operations, but also requested the agency to ferret out the truth about the fishing methods used by the Manila-based firm.

Two years ago, I did my own probing into a similar incident that happened off Palawan. Then, provincial board member Antonio Alvarez (now second district congressman of Palawan) discovered that the nomenclature had been changed. It sounded like "paloy" or whatever. That gave them the chance to operate since muro-ami had been banned.

Still, based on the testimonies of the young Negrenses who absconded from the boat in Palawan’s second district, the methodology was the same — pounding the corals to drive the fish into the nets.

The subsequent outcry later stirred Negros Oriental authorities and non-government organizations into drawing up guidelines against the employment of minors. But that did not address the problem by its roots — muro-ami masquerading under another nomenclature.

So, we see the Dumaguete office of Prime E. recruiting "fishermen" from the upland barangays of nearby Negros Occidental. Sounds a bit strange; upland farmers cannot be expected to learn fishing.

The eight Binalbagan residents who left the boat were Christopher Jadluc, Nazareno Buenavelis, Pelord Granada, Joenard Torilla, Joemar Mationg and brothers Sammy, Remy and Jason Granada, all of Barangay Bagroy, Binalbagan.

Eleven of the 13 still on board were identified as Jonas Maravilla, Buenventura Monieva, Randolf Flores, Christopher de la Cruz, Garry Alisan, Jewel John Gahoran, Glen Padohinog, Regino Buenavelis, Jan Michael Radam, and brothers Ronnie and Niel Ordaniel.

Arroyo quoted Jadluc as saying that a certain Arlene Mapa allegedly recruited them last May. She reportedly offered them a P5,000 monthly stipend for their families and a individual share of P80,000 after 10 months.

She reportedly gave them P3,500 as cash advance for their families before they left for Dumaguete where they boarded MV San Pio.

But based on the statements of the fishermen-farmers, the fleet included three other boats.

The Abines family was also mentioned as the owner of the MV San Pio. Well, we hope that finally they have pinpointed the operators of the fishing fleet. Assuming, of course, that what the "fishermen" reportedly told television reporters is true.

The vessel reportedly belongs to a certain Primitivo Garcia of Manila.

Three Killed In Explosion

Congressman Arroyo seems to be all over the place. And yesterday, the Negros lawmaker received information on an explosion in Cagayancillo last Monday that killed three people, injured 20 others and left three more missing.

The boat came from Molo, Iloilo and was reportedly skippered by one Norman Felimon. It is reportedly owned by Carla del Rosario, according to information relayed to Arroyo by PNP Region 7 director Rolando Garcia.

The three fatalities were burned beyond recognition. Eleven of the injured were rushed to the Palawan Provincial Hospital in Puerto Princesa. The Department of Social Welfare and Development is reportedly taking care of them.

Reported missing were the skipper and two of his crewmembers.

Investigation showed that one of the crewmembers reportedly lighted a cigarette beside an LPG tank which exploded after it caught fire, according to the Negros lawmaker.

IRA Battle

It was Iloilo Mayor Jerry Trenas who raised the battlecry before he won as president of the League of Cities last week. That called for non-reduction of the Internal Revenue Allotments of local government units.

Swiftly, LGUs responded and passed resolutions objecting to the announced move by Rep. Joey Salceda of Albay to withhold P20 billion from the IRA shares of local government units.

Among those who have approved resolutions bucking the Salceda proposal were the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan and the Sangguniang Panglunsod of Bacolod City and Iloilo City. The latest to join was the Negros Oriental SP.

Dumaguete City Vice Mayor William Ablong called the Salceda proposal illegal and unlawful. "This will go against the very purpose, intent and spirit of the Local Government Code which mandates decentralization and fiscal autonomy," he said.

Ablong, according to Visayan Daily Star’s Alex Vidal, cited the May 27 ruling of the Supreme Court that it is unconstitutional and illegal for Malacañang to withhold or impose conditions on the release of IRAs to local governments.

He said that in the past three years, P45 million in IRAs has been withheld from LGUs despite the constitutional guarantee that such amounts should be released to the recipients.

Rep. Carlos Cojuangco (fifth district, Negros Occidental) recently said he would refile two of several bills he sponsored during the last Congress. The two bills are on the IRA and the automatic retention scheme. The latter is considered vital since it will eliminate the hold of Manila on local taxes and the shares of local government units.

ADDENDA. A major controversy looms in Bacolod City. This, as Mayor Evelio Leonardia served a notice of termination to Bacolod City College president Dr. Norma Juarez. Although she is a doctorate degree holder, Juarez reportedly lacks career executive service eligibility. That reportedly deprives her security of tenure under Sections 2, 3 and 5 of Civil Service Memorandum Circular No. 20. Leonardia named Dr. Rogelio Balo as transition supervisor of the Office of the College Administrator of BCC. A few days ago, students of the college staged a demonstration asking for Dr. Juarez’s retention… The arrival of a 500-man contingent of the Scout Rangers in Negros Oriental, plus the announcement that four choppers will be deployed in Western Visayas this September, presaged a possible orchestrated counter-insurgency drive in Western Visayas. The rebels have been involved in a series of skirmishes with those manning military outposts recently. The latest was the slaying of two young combatants in a gunbattle in Negros Oriental’s Guihulngan town. One of the fatalities was identified as Joelito Bayoyos, alias Ka Yako. He was only 18 years old. The firefight occurred just one week after soldiers of the 61st Infantry Battalion clashed with a 20-man rebel group in Camindangan, Sipalay City. That resulted in the recovery of 15 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in the manufacture of explosives. A CAFGU member, Reggie Pasualme, was killed in that skirmish... Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon disclosed yesterday that the provincial government has a stock of 4,000 sows and these are now being artificially inseminated. The piglets will be distributed to recipient families as part of the overall food security program of the government.