Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday urged the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to drive away Chinese fishermen who might be continually harvesting giant clams in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) illegally.
Hontiveros said these giant clams, locally known as ‘taklobo,’ should be protected, as clearly stipulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which China is a party.
“China’s crimes are piling up. The PCG recently spotted Chinese poachers around Pag-asa Islands stealing our 'taklobo'...Hindi niya na nga sinusunod ang (They are not already following the) UNCLOS, hindi pa masunod ang (they won’t also follow) CITES,” Hontiveros said.
The Philippines had previously lodged diplomatic protests over China’s giant clam harvesting in the WPS. She said the protest filed in 2015 was filed based on a report by the PCG that two dozen Chinese utility boats were seen collecting giant clams around Scarborough Shoal.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) also filed a protest in 2019 after it was found that Chinese vessels were mass harvesting giant clams also in Scarborough.
The lawmaker reminded that the Philippines’ Wildlife Protection Act penalizes persons found to be guilty of killing endangered species of up to 12 years imprisonment and fines of up to P1-million.
Last month, four Filipinos were arrested in Palawan after the seizure of P1.2-billion worth of giant clams. The western part of Palawan is known to be a “poaching hotbed.”
“Kung napaparusahan natin ang mga Pilipinong sumasali sa illegal trade ng taklobo, hindi ba dapat pati rin ang mga dayuhan? (If we are able to punish Filipinos engaging in the illegal trade of giant clams, shouldn’t we also include foreigners who do the same thing)?” Hontiveros asked.
She said the illegal trade of giant clams is expected to rise as they are now being used as replacement for ivory. This came about after a widespread campaign and crackdown on the illegal trade of elephant tusks.
The PCG, she said, should employ the help of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and hte NTF-WPS in looking out for these illegal activities.
“I trust that the PCG, along with BFAR and NTF-WPS, can confront Chinese vessels that further endanger our marine life,” she said.
“I know our officers on the ground and in the water are very capable of doing so, as we’ve recently seen in their radio challenge to Chinese vessels in Sabina Shoal,” she stressed.