PCG: Joint elements of the Coast Guard, Navy, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) successfully intercepted a fishing vessel loaded with sacks of endangered seashells in Olango Island, Lapu Lapu City, Cebu last Thursday, July 09.

Intelligence information revealed that a blue fishing boat was allegedly loaded with undetermined volume of imported cooking oil from Malaysia.

Immediately, the personnel of Coast Guard Sub Station (CGS) Mandaue, together with Coast Guard Field Station Central Visayas (FSCV), Naval Intelligence Security Group (NISG), and Bureau of Customs (BOC) Region VII, proceeded to Barangay Baring, Olango Island to verify the report.

Upon arrival thereat, the team observed the presence of Fbca Jocevel Joy 4 anchored in the area. The team boarded and inspected said vessel in connection with the reported smuggled cooking oil but yielded negative result.

However, the team noticed 138 sacks of unidentified shells in the vessel's storage area. BFAR Region VII identified the shells as “Trochus Niloticus locally known as “Samong”, which are considered as endangered species and banned for harvest for commercial purpose. 

Coast Guard vessel, DF 318 towed said fishing banca enroute to FF Cruz, Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City for further investigation and filing of administrative as well as a criminal case for the owner and skipper of the vessel. The PCG Special Operations Unit in Cebu was also directed to post security personnel onboard the fishing banca.

The endangered shells were then turned over to CGSS Mandaue and will be brought to BFAR for inventory.

Mbca Jocelyn Joy 4 is skippered by Paulino Benanel and owned and operated by Jovelito Benanel of Barangay Bagong Silang, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.