Coast guard apprehends 7 Vietnamese poachers

Seven suspected Vietnamese poachers were nabbed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for illegally fishing in the Philippine waters off the shore of Palawan last Sunday.

Lt. Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, identified the apprehended Vietnamese nationals as Tzan Cuan, Tzan Quang, Le Quan, Tzan Xanh, Tzan Hung, Le Thang, and Le Thuy.

The suspects were spotted on board their fishing boat by PCG vessel BRP Pampanga some 135 nautical miles off Libro Point in El Nido, Palawan.

The fishermen will be charged for violation of Republic Act 8550, that covered provisions on illegal fishing, and for illegal entry in Philippine territory.

The alleged poachers failed to produce any document that could legalize their fishing explorations in Philippine territorial waters. The suspects were turned over to another PCG vessel, the BRP Ilocos Norte, and had their fishing boat towed to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.

Balilo said they accidentally stumbled on the Vietnamese fishing boat while conducting their search and rescue operations for F/BCA Maria Emelyn 2.

For almost a month, the PCG had been conducting search and rescue operations near the vicinity of Palawan as they had also been searching for four missing Filipino fishermen.

The passengers of fishing boat F/BCA Maria Emelyn 2 are boat captain Pedro Isidro, 23; Ronald Mercado, 25; Jimmy Francis, 27; and Zaldy Tapatani, 49, all of Castillejos town in Zambales Province.

The PCG aircraft discovered the motorized fishing vessel on April 9 at 2:30 p.m., some 150 nautical miles northwest of Ulugan Bay, Palawan. They immediately coordinated with BRP Batangas and BRP Gen. Marianao Alvares, positioned near the area, to fetch Isidro and his men.