|
THE
country’s tuna fishing industry is hurting not because
of price fluctuations in the world market, stiff
competition from other countries or increasing costs and
others, but from the extortion activities of several
members of the Maritime Police and the Coast Guard who
are deployed on the seas off General Santos City, the
country’s tuna capital, to protect them from pirates.
This was
disclosed by Nationalist People’s Coalition Rep. Darlene
Antonino-Custodio of General Santos City during the
House of Representatives’ budget deliberation for the
Interior department and the National Police on Tuesday
night.
The
extortion activities, Custodio said, have been going on
for some time and the fishermen who have been
“terrorized” by Maritime Police and Coast Guard
personnel have had enough and reported the matter to
authorities.
Custodio
recalled that in the 1980s and ’90s, General Santos
fishermen banded together to form a sea-based Civilian
Volunteer Organizations to help patrol and safeguard the
waters along the Moro Gulf frequented by pirates.
“It met
with successes, but with new peace and order structures,
functions such as security, peace and order, have been
mandated to the different agencies of the government
such as the Coast Guard, Navy and National Police
Maritime Group, among others,” said Custodio.
And with
the rapid expansion of the fishing fleets in GenSan,
Custodio said it became apparent to the fishing industry
that working hand in hand with the different agencies
was in its interest, thus, born the industry-government
partnerships such as the Coast Guard Auxilliary and the
Navy Reserve Command among others, fostering mutually
beneficial relationships and shared interest.
With the
establishment of different agencies tasked to perform
sea-based peace and order functions, some agencies such
as the National Police Maritime Group and the Coast
Guard established outposts and detachments-stations on
the seaside areas along Sarangani Bay.
“Starting around 2001-2002, with just a few kilos of
fish requested from fishermen by some of the men
attached to these outpost, and as a sign of respect for
their “protectors,” fisherman, with the traditional
belief of giving more to have more, allowed the practice
of saving a few kilos of fish to give to these men
almost always when they board the boats,” Custodio said.
“Some
boats might have other reasons, such as minor violations
on documentary or crew requirements or both, thus the
practice of these “fish for consumption” became standard
norms for some fisherman. Just like giving tong on the
highways,” Custodio added.
She said
that gradually, the tong demanded became bigger
especially by members of the police Maritime Group.
“Threats
made by uniformed men with guns and done under the guise
of performing security inspection became more frequent.”
But
later, with the increase of oil prices from P15 per
liter to about P30 to 35 per liter in 2004 and 2005, the
extortion has not been limited to fish as fuel became an
increasing part of it, she said.
Custodio
said the tong being exacted from fishing boats was not
collected only on incoming boats but also for those that
are departing.
As per
Custodio’s conservative estimate, at least 150 to 300
kilos of fish and 300 liters of fuel are being taken from fishing boats per trip.
“That
doesn’t include pump boats where even small boats with
poor harvest are being exacted, especially by the
Maritime Group,” Custodio said.
These
transactions, she said are usually being done a few
miles on the sea off Balot Island.
“The
amount the industry is losing because of these
activities, on conservative estimate is P3.8 million a
month, probably much higher if you add pump boats”
Custodio told the BusinessMirror in a telephone
interview.
“It’s
very demoralizing when you know that the institutions
that supposed to protect you from piracy are the one
that is doing the piracy in the high seas,” Custodio
added.
Upon
learning of the unscrupulous activities of the members
of the Maritime Group assigned in the area, Director
General Avelino Razon Jr., National Police chief, who
along with several National Police officials attended
the Tuesday’s budget hearing, ordered the immediate
relief of the entire Maritime Group in General Santos
City.
And to
prevent them from getting even with the fishermen who
spilled the beans, Razon ordered them restricted to
quarters and banned from going near the sea.
Criminal
and administrative charges are being readied against
these policemen, Razon said.
As for
the members of the Coast Guard, Custodio said she will
bring the matter to officials of the Department of
Transportation and Communications on Wednesday. |
