MARINE PARADISE LOST A diver fins through a field of pristine soft leather corals at the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. Unfortunately, only about 3 percent of the Philippine coral reefs are in “excellent condition.” YVETTE LEE/CONTRIBUTOR
MANILA, Philippines—The Palawan Court is set to issue its verdict on the 12 Chinese fishermen arrested last year after their vessel ran aground on Tubbataha Reef, a government prosecutor said Wednesday.
Provincial Prosecutor Allen Ross Rodriguez said Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 51 has set the promulgation on Aug. 5.
The Chinese fishermen have been charged with a case for violation of Republic Act 10067 or the Tubbataha Protected Area Law f 2009 for poaching and Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code for allegedly attempting to bribe officers of the Tubbataha Management Office in exchange for their release.
Park rangers recovered from the fishermen’s vessel around 400 boxes containing slaughtered anteaters or “balintong.”
The grounding of the Chinese fishing vessel occurred three months after the USS Guardian, a minesweeper of the US Navy, also ran aground on the reef, destroying more than 2, 000 square meters of coral reef.
The same court is also handling the case of the nine Chinese fishermen apprehended for poaching off the Half Moon Shoal or Hasa-Hasa Shoal some 60 nautical miles from Palawan early this year.
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