Group of fishermen protests against SC ruling on commercial fishing

Members of the PAMALAKAYA fishermen’s group protested at the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday, condemning the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to allow commercial fishing within 15 kilometers of municipal waters.

The group accused the district attorney of failing to defend the preferential rights of small-scale fishermen over traditional fishing grounds.

“Tahimik ang DA sa gitna ng malakas na ingay ng mga maliliit na mangingisda laban sa panghihimasok ng mga malalaking negosyo sa aming pangisdaan,” PAMALAKAYA Vice President Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement.

(The district attorney remains silent while small fishermen raise their voices against the invasion of big companies in our fishing areas.)

“May pananagutan ang naturang ahensya kung tuluyang maipapatupad ang kautusan ng korte dahil sameng ang kalihim nito na si Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. ang nagsusulong ng pagbabago ng hangganan na pwedeng pasukin ng mga commercial fishing vessels in municipal waters,” Arámbulo added.

(The agency is responsible if the court order is implemented, especially since Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. is pushing for changes to the boundaries of municipal waters that would allow commercial fishing vessels to operate there.)

GMA News Online sought comment from the district attorney, but the department had not yet responded at the time of publication.

The SC First Division recently upheld a ruling by a regional trial court (RTC) that declared certain provisions of the Fisheries Code and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (TIR) ​​unconstitutional.

The RTC had permanently prohibited authorities from enforcing the 15-kilometer limit of municipal waters.

In response, last Thursday, several parties filed a petition seeking to intervene in the case between the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Mercidar Fishing Corporation, the sole defendant.

Among the petitioners are the Municipality of Santa Fe, represented by Mayor Ithamar Espinosa; Oceana Philippines International, represented by its Vice President Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos; and the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice.

In their 28-page brief, the petitioners requested that the SC remand the case to the RTC for trial and order the respondent to implicate all indispensable parties. They also requested permission to formally intervene in the process. — DVM, GMA Integrated News