By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Negros Occidental seized more than 15 kilos of dried seahorses worth P460,000 at the Banago port here yesterday.
According to Captain Ludovico Librilla Jr., PCG provincial head, they received a call from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group informing them about a reported cargo of dried seahorses on board a fast craft bound for Iloilo City.
The Coast Guard personnel were conducting pre-departure inspection when they were directed to coordinate with the fast craft management for the inspection of the vessel and cargoes.
Librilla said that a man took the cargo to the port and declared it as a box of dried fish to be sent to an unknown consignee in Iloilo City.
When PCG personnel checked the parcel, they found that it contained the dried remains of the endangered species.
Librilla said the mis-declared items were already turned over to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Librilla said they could not locate the person who took the cargo to the port because he just left the box at the terminal after paying for the lading.
Under the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 transporting, taking, and selling of rare, threatened, and endangered fishery products is prohibited.
Violators could face a fine of P300,000 to P5 million or a three to five-year prison sentence if found guilty.
An investigation is now being made as to who was the sender of the package.
