By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Three persons were formally charged Tuesday morning for the illegal gathering of “tahong” or green shells in Brgy. Agojo, Panay, Capiz.
Romualdo Agustin, officer-in-charge of Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office(MENRO-Panay), charged Arthur Valderama, 41; Argie Leparto, 22, both of Barangay Yabton, Ivisan, Capiz; and Nelson Tang, 25, of Barangay Buntod, Panay, Capiz before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for violation of Fishery Administrative Order No. 235 (Safety and Quality Control Standards for Paralytic Shellfish Poison) pursuant to Sec. 67 of Republic Act 8250 ( Fishery Code) and RA 7394 (Consumers Act).
The three were caught by the Bantay-Dagat of Panay gathering green shells in the waters of Barangay Agojo Panay town Sunday afternoon.
Reports from Panay Municipal Police Station indicated that the local authorities were conducting seaborne patrol when they chanced the suspects.
Harvesting of sea shells for sale or consumption is strictly prohibited in the coastal areas of the province of Capiz because of red tide.
Punong barangay Ramon Arrobang of Brgy. Agojo, Panay, Capiz believes that the suspects meant to transport the three sacks of green shells outside Capiz and sell these for P5,000.
He said that the suspects might not be aware of the ban on harvesting, transporting selling, and eating of sea shells because of the red tide contamination.
