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[av_heading heading=’DENR apprehends Chinese ship at Aklan River’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
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Wednesday, February 1, 2017
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This is MV Zhong Hai 18, the Chinese ship dredging the Aklan River for sand and stone. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, “the Chinese nationals have no papers and no permits to dredge.” The department stopped the dredging on Jan. 31, 2017. DENR PHOTO
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KALIBO, Aklan – A Chinese ship has been apprehended for illegally dredging the Aklan River in Barangay Bakhaw Norte of this capital town.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) National Environmental Crime Task Force checked MV Zhong Hai 18 docked at the mouth of the river yesterday and found dredged materials – sands and stones – in several compartments.
DENR undersecretary for Field Operations Arturo Valdez led the task force’s operation.
“Nag-reklamo ang mga tao sa dredging operations. Nag-issue kami ng cease and desist order at na-enforce namin,” said Valdez.
MV Zhong Hai 18 of Globe Bulk Services Philippines Corp. had 18 Chinese nationals on board. They won’t be allowed to leave Philippine waters pending the filing of charges, said Valdez.
“May kaso silang haharapin. Pag umalis ang barko na walang clearance, maba-blacklist ito sa mga international ports at ipapadakip natin ang crew,” said Valdez during the mid-day inspection of MV Zhong Hai 18.
The National Environmental Crime Task Force took samples of dredged materials stored in the ship.
‘KALIBO, I HEARD YOU’
In a statement, Environment secretary Regina Paz Lopez said, “The ship’s dredging has caused soil erosion in sandbars that act as natural barrier against natural disasters…it is also affecting more than 40 households… We also witnessed four houses eroding down the river.”
Lopez commended Kalibonhons for calling DENR’s attention to the dredging.
“Kalibo, I heard you. The local residents were with DENR all the way – from submitting complaints about STL’s dredging, to enforcement coordination, and even offering our men in uniform something to eat after the operation,” according to Lopez.
STL is Santarli (STL) Panay Resources Company Limited. It has a yet-to-be-approved “as-staked survey” with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) national office allowing the company to dredge Aklan River.
According to Lopez, “the Chinese nationals have no papers and no permits to dredge.”
DENR will file charges against them.
The cease and desist order that the National Environmental Crime Task Force enforced yesterday was for STL, which tapped MV Zhong Hai 18 of Globe Bulk Services Philippines Corp. for the dredging.
“Now Barangay Bakhaw Norte can sleep peacefully at night once again without the dredging sounds and fish can again pass through the river channels. Today the eco warriors inside of us are alive and well,” said Lopez.
Following the complaint of Barangay Bakhaw Norte residents, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) chief Ivene Reyes also issued on Jan. 26 a show-cause order against STL managing director Patrick Lim to reply within 72 hours upon receiving the order. As of this writing, STL had yet to comply.
A multipartite monitoring team noted that 1,200 cubic meters of sand were dredged and stored in two compartments of MV Zhong Hai 18 last week.
Four days ago, some 100 residents of Barangay Bakhaw Norte protested outside the offices of PENRO, DPWH and the provincial government of Aklan. They demanded a stop to the “premature” dredging operations.
Residents claimed some houses in Sitio Libuton, Barangay Bakhaw Norte collapsed due to soil erosion and dredging.
In a joint memorandum of agreement for the dredging, STL will pay the provincial government of Aklan P5 per cubic meter which will be used by the latter for flood mitigation measures.
The dredging, at no expense to the government, targets to excavate 15 million cubic meter of sand from the Aklan River in three years.
The dredged material will be transported to Singapore by a bulk carrier ship commissioned by STL.
Joining the National Environmental Crime Task Force in inspecting the ship yesterday were PENRO-Aklan, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, and the press./PN
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