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Palace working for release of 30 Sino poachers, says Pamalakaya
Group suggests trial be held in Manila

The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday said the country’s top diplomatic officials headed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are working “ double time” to release the 30 Chinese fishermen caught by local authorities poaching in Tubbataha Marine Park last week.

Earlier, the group called the Senate and House committees on Environment to conduct a joint or separate investigation over what they called the “Great Sino Raid of Tubbataha Marine Reef Park” and the alleged interference of Malacañang and DFA officials for the release of Chinese poachers.

The arrest made last Dec.21 yielded over 1,200 load of endangered fishes and poaching gear, according to reports filed by environmental group World Wide Fund for Nature in the Philippines.

Pamalakaya also suggested the trial of 30 Chinese fishermen and owners of the fishing vessel Ho Wan be transferred from Palawan to Manila to deny Malacañang and officials of the foreign affairs department the opportunity to arm twist the local court in Palawan and let the charged Sino poachers used Palawan as backdoor for escape.

“That’s the diplomatic policy of President Arroyo. Remember last June 2006, 17 Chinese poachers were freed by Malacañang to avoid any diplomatic row with Republic of China? The Chief Executive will apply the same policy here,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

“President Arroyo has this track record of releasing Chinese poachers over the last six years. The cases were filed in Palawan, but the Palace always intercedes for the release of arrested illegal Chinese fishers even if criminal charges were already filed in the local court,” Hicap said.

Hicap said last June this year, President Arroyo pardoned the 17 Sino fishers caught by local authorities fishing in Palawan waters. The militant leader said that was the time the Philippine government finalized the US$ 654 million North Rail Project with China.

Hicap also said between year 2002 and 2003, the Macapagal-Arroyo government had released over 100 Chinese fishermen arrested by Philippine authorities for illegal fishing, either through presidential pardon or fines as prescribed under Philippine fisheries law.

“Malacañang’s current diplomatic policy with China is not to antagonize this so-called emerging giant in the region. This policy remains in full force and highly evident judging from the extreme attitude displayed by some of her top foreign affairs officials who covertly and overtly interceded for the release of Chinese poachers,” the militant leader noted.

Pamalakaya said Malacañang will soon act on the note verbale sent by Chinese Embassy officials in Manila to the Department of Foreign Affairs protesting the arrest of Sino poachers arrested by local authorities last Dec.21 fishing in Tubbataha Marine Reef Park.

“Malacañang is just waiting for the proper time and opportune moment to let go the 30 Sino poachers currently in custody of Palawan provincial officials. We are afraid the case against the Chinese invaders of Tubbataha reef will soon be dropped by the government to avoid any diplomatic row with China,” the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:07 | link | comments (1) |

#1  02 January 2007 - 01:11

 

happy new year gerry! - mong

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