PNP remains aggressive on drive vs. illegal fishers

The Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) has remained to be aggressive in pursuing the illegal fishers and all other forms of illegal activities within the coastal waters and in all areas of responsibility in the province of Bohol.

This was the statement issued by Police Lieutenant Coronel (PLt. Col.) Jimmy Aguisanda, Provincial Deputy for Administration, BPPO in lieu of Philippine National Police Provincial Director Police Coronel Jonathan Cabal when he gave the closing remarks during the Bohol Coastal Law Enforcement Council (CLEC) Oath Taking of Officers and Awarding Ceremonies last Thursday held at the Pavillion Hall, Panda Tea, Dao, Tagbilaran City.

PLt. Col. Aguisanda accounted that last year, the Bohol PNP had recorded a 15% increase in their police operations against illegal fishing, and a significant 62% increase of cases filed in court against apprehended illegal fishers as compared to 2018.

Aguisanda added that also in 2019, they successfully apprehended 357 illegal fishers and confiscated more than 10 million (P10,834,700) worth of fishing and paraphernalia.

He further said that the BPPO will never give up in their concerted collaboration because they have so much to do together in furthermore of peace and order as he highly welcomed the bold step taken by the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) at strengthening coastal law enforcement through a multi-sectoral, multi-agency and multi-strategy approach.

Aguisanda extended his deep gratitude to the provincial government for the success of this endeavor that would not be possible without the unparalleled support, trust, coordination and collaboration of the coastal law enforcement agencies and the Local Government Units (LGUs).

The Provincial Deputy for Administration –BPPO asked all the Boholanos to continue working towards the common goal of preserving and maintaining peace and order in the province of Bohol.

On his part, Board Member (BM) Aldner Damalerio for and in behalf of Gov. Arthur C. Yap and Vice Gov. Rene L. Relampagos in his message said that the PGBh has continued to strengthen the coastal law enforcement for the good of the Boholanos not only for today but also for the next generations to come.

BM Damalerio lauded the concerted efforts of all the coastal law enforcers in sustaining the protection and conservation of our Bohol waters and coastal areas.

Damalerio within the program administered the oath-taking of the officers of the eight clusters of CLEC and also led in the giving of awards and recognition to the Best Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Coastal Law Enforcement (CLE) and turned over of checks for CLEC financial assistance.

CLEC OBJECTIVES

Jovencia B. Ganub, Head-Bohol Environmental Management Office (BEMO) in her statement of purpose stated that consistent with the development, the PGBh is committed to protect and sustainably manage our coastal environment and ensure that coastal law enforcement is strengthened by capacitating and empowering our communities and capacitating smaller sectors of city/LGUs which have more direct contact with various stakeholders sharing the same resources as well as issues and concerns.

Ganub added that the PGBh is convinced that the most effective means of engaging the community to strengthen coastal and maritime security is through the purok system.

She defined that the coastal law enforcement as a basic service of local government incorporates all the local government powers and responsibilities including planning, protection, legislation, regulation, revenue generation, enforcement, inter-governmental relations, relation with people’s and non-government organizations, extension and technical assistance.

Under the R.A. 7160, the LGU is tasked as primarily responsible for coastal and fishery resources management within the municipality waters. While the national agencies like Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Interior and Local Government, PNP, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Philippine Army, Bureau of Fire Protection and other law enforcement agencies, together with the PGBh through the BEMO and NGOs have key supporting roles in the coastal law resources management processes.

CLEC ESTABLISHMENT

In 2000, a coastal law enforcement summit was conducted during the incumbency of then Gov. Rene L. Relampagos and then Vice Governor Edgar M. Chatto. The output of the summit was the creation of the CLEC per district thru a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by all coastal mayors and CLEC partners to focus on the resolution of violations within municipal water, Ganub bared.

She said the coastal law enforcement initiatives have evolved through time and as such the 2nd Bohol Coastal Law Enforcement Summit conducted in 2015 saw the needs that CLEC strategies on law enforcement have to adjust to the changing times by enhancing the 3 congressional districts to a more responsive approach by clustering the 30 coastal LGUs into smaller clusters increasing the clusters from 3 to 8 clusters through an Executive Order (E.O) issued by then Gov. Chatto.

Ganub bared that Gov. Art C. Yap likewise supported this initiative and he issued E.O. No. 50 series of 2019 reconstituting the CLEC and likewise strengthening the MPA to scale up and form networks based on the existing CLEC clusters set up to maximize enforcement support.

CLEC OFFICERS AND AWARDEES

The officers of the eight clusters of CLEC who took their oath of commitment last Thursday before BM Damalerio were the following: CLC I – Mayor John Geesnell L. Yap II, Tagbilaran City; CLEC II – Mayor Elvi Peter L. RElampagos, Loon, Bohol; CLEC III – Mayor William R. Jao, Tubigon, Bohol; CLEC IV- Mayor Fernando B. Estavilla, Pres. CPG, Bohol; CLEC V – Mayor Constantino H. Reyes, Ubay, Bohol; CLEC VI – Mayor Conrada C. Amparo, Duero, Bohol; CLEC VII – Mayor Katrina Lim, Valencia, Bohol; CLEC VIII – Mayor Hilario L. Ayuban, Loay, Bohol.

The awardees for the best MPA and CLEC who received cash and plaque of recognition were: LGU Loon – Best Municipal Coastal Law Enforcement (MCLECT) P50,000; CLEC Cluster 2 (Loon, Calape, Maribojoc, Cortes) – Best Coastal Law Enforcement Council (CLEC) P50,000; LGU Talibon – Best LGU Supportive of MPA – P50,000; Mr. Epifanio Gultia Jr. BFAR – Best CRM Practitioner Government Partner – Individual Category – P8,000; PCOL Jonathan A. Cabal – PNP-BPPO, Provincial Director – Best CLE Practitioner – Government Category – P8,000; Andre Glenn M. Mangubat 703rd PNP Maritime Police – Best CLE Support Institutions Government Category – P8,000; PEMS Noel Rogelio G. Avenido 703rd PNP Maritime Police – Best CLE Practitioner Gov’t Sector (Individual Category) – P8,000; Dr. Samuel J. Gulayan BISU – Best Research on MPA – P8,000. Title; Coral Transportation Technology for Sustainable Fisheries & Underwater Tourism); PMaj Jacinto C. Mandal Jr. PNP-BPPO – Best Chief of Police (COP) – P8,000; and LGU Anda, Teofilo Barrete – Best Police Environmental Desk Officer (PEDO) – P8,000. (Atoy Cosap with reports from Villa I. Pelindingue and Bersarie Garcia)

BOHOL CLEC IN ACTION. Police Lieutenant Coronel Jimmy Aguisanda ( left above inset photo), Provincial Deputy for Administration, Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) in lieu of Philippine National Police Provincial Director Jonathan Cabal during the Bohol Coastal Law Enforcement Council Oath Taking of Officers and Awarding Ceremonies last Thursday at the Pavillion Hall, Panda Tea Garden, Dao, Tagbilaran City says the BPPO remains to be aggressive in the fight against illegal fishers; while Jovencia Ganub, Head- Bohol Environmental Management Office (BEMO) and Board Member Aldner R. Damalerio for an in behalf of Gov. Art C. Yap and Vice Gov. Rene L. Relampagos (above inset photos) emphasize how the provincial government works to strengthen the environmental coastal laws to protect the coastal areas in Bohol.