CEBU, Philippines - Nobody claimed ownership over them, so the Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu (BOC) yesterday forfeited in favor of the government the P15 million worth of black sea fan corals during a forfeiture hearing.
BOC District Collector Ronnie Silvestre in his order stated that SAII Adonis Rejuso of the Enforcement and Security Service-Customs Police Division (ESS), who represented the government in the forfeiture proceedings, submitted evidence against the said shipment.
The shipment was apprehended by ESS headed by its chief, Jerry Arizabal, loaded in a 1X20-foot container van that contained 168 bundles in sacks of dried black sea fan corals. It arrived at the Cebu port on May 20.
The said shipment was declared as “scrap metals” and consigned to Cebu Junkshop, which turned out to be fictitious.
Silvestre said that the shipment violates Section 91 of Republic Act 8550 otherwise known as the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. With the forfeiture of the shipment in favor of the government, this will be disposed of “in accordance with law without prejudice to the filing of any criminal action against those responsible for the illegal shipment.”
The dried black sea fan corals are believed to be from from Zamboanga City.
The BOC-Manila have apprehended a certain Exequiel Navarro, who was named as consignee in the bill of lading after a 1X20-foot container van loaded with the same illegal shipment was also apprehended in Manila.
As an off-shot of the seizure, a Senate inquiry headed by Senator Miguel Zubiri was launched to determine the real culprit behind the illegal trade.
The black corals, which serve as food for some organisms within the coral reefs and as shelter for other organisms, can be made into jewelry or decors.
Senator Zubiri, in his privilege speech, condemned in the “strongest possible terms” what he calls as an environmental crime and serious threat to marine biodiversity “perpetrated by some greedy and unscrupulous” people.
Zubiri said that the crime is a “direct affront” to all efforts in protecting and conserving the environment. He also considers the act as a mockery of the country’s environmental laws aside from calling it as an economic sabotage.
Under BFAR Administrative Order No. 202, Series of 2000, harvesting and trade of black corals are prohibited. — (FREEMAN)