13 Viets arrested over sea turtles
Thirteen
Vietnamese fishermen were arrested after being found in Philippine waters with
a haul of protected sea turtles, police said lately.
The fishermen were caught on Friday off the western Philippine
island of Palawan, in waters near the South China Sea where authorities say
foreign poaching of endangered or protected species has become a major problem.
"Upon initial inspection, it was found out that the said
foreign fishing vessel is loaded with undetermined (number of) pieces of dead
sea turtles," said BenignoCaabay, a station officer at the Palawan police
provincial headquarters, quoting an official report.
The 13 are being held at a police camp in Palawan while officers
look into filing a case against them, Caabay added.
In recent years, Philippine authorities have frequently caught
foreigners, often Chinese, catching or buying sea turtles in the waters off
Palawan.
In November last year, in the same area where the Vietnamese
were caught, the Philippine navy rescued more than 100 sea turtles from
poachers. But the fishermen, whom authorities believed to be Chinese, escaped.
Twelve Chinese fishermen were also arrested in April after their
boat, which ran aground on a protected reef, was found to be carrying hundreds
of dead pangolins, or scaley anteaters, another protected species.
Their case is still pending in court.
The issue of foreigners poaching endangered species has become
sensitive in the Philippines, with environmentalists calling for stronger
action against the perpetrators.
Following pressure from their governments, the foreigners often
have the charges dropped or lessened, allowing them to be deported quickly back
home.
Caabay said fisheries experts were still determining what
species of turtles were caught, although he stressed they were all protected
under local laws.
The turtles were frozen and packed tightly in the cargo hold of
the fishing vessel, he said.
Turtles
are used in traditional medicine or are served as delicacy in many Asian
countries. AFP
