By Franklin P. Gumapon
LABASON, Zamboanga del Norte – To ward off
attacks by lawless elements operating in the coastal towns of Zamboanga del
Norte’s third district, a patrol boat has been turned-over recently to the
Bantay Dagat/Kalikasan Task Force led by the 21st Infantry
Battalion, Philippine Army (PA) based in the area.
Speaking during the patrol boat launching held at Barangay
Osukan here, Col. Jesus Mananquil Jr., commanding officer of the 101st
Infantry Brigade, PA, emphasized that the goal of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) “is to promote peace
and order in the whole of Mindanao.”
“With this patrol boat, the Bantay Dagat/Kalikasan Task
Force which is composed of the army, police, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), local government
units (LGUs) and other stakeholders, will now be able to run after illegal
fishing, piracy, kidnapping, extortion and other forms criminalities
perpetrated by the lawless groups in the province’s third district,” Mananquil
said.
The P2.5-million patrol boat was acquired through the
congressional office of Congressman Isagani S. Amatong, representative of the
third district.
On behalf of Congressman Amatong, his chief of staff, Adrian
A. Amatong said, “no single agency of the government can solve the problems of
illegal fishing, piracy or extortion activities,” as these need collective
efforts among government agencies.
For his part, Engr. Joseph Florig, assistant regional
director of BFAR-9, expressed his gratitude to all agencies and organizations,
which take part in protecting the seas and the marine resources saying “BFAR
before acted alone and it was a lonely job.”
“Ang dagat problema kay daghan man ang tag-iya dili sama sa
yuta nga kadtong lamang adunay titulo maoy manag-iya (The sea is a problem because
a number own it, unlike the lands that only those with land titles owning them),”
Florig explained.
The BFAR official also hoped that the involvement of the
different agencies in the fight against illegal fishing would continue.
Moreover, Vice Governor Senen O. Angeles also said “the
unified movement for Batay Dagat/Kalikasan is a very good move in the
protection against piracy, terrorism, kidnapping and illegal fishing that would
redound to the protection of our environment.”
