Molina blames BSL, exec assistant
ON ILLEGAL FISH PENS
CITY Agriculture Officer Emma Molina denied being remiss in her duties when illegal fish pens mushroomed in Dagupan rivers early this year, explaining that the responsibility of monitoring these structures was removed from her and was assigned by then Mayor Benjamin Lim to another office.
Molina made her defense during an investigation in aid of legislation conducted by the newly created ad hoc Blue Ribbon committee that is looking into the open letter complaint of The PUNCH editor-publisher Ermin Garcia Jr., which among other issues, accuses her of dereliction of duty for doing nothing to stop the proliferation of illegal fish pens despite a standing ordinance prohibiting such contraptions.
Molina pointed out that the job of monitoring these structures was then assigned by Lim to the River and Coastal Management Protection Office (RCPMO) that Lim newly created then and headed by Manuel Gutierrez, an executive assistant to the city mayor.
“RCPMO was under the mayor’s office, not my office although it was consulting with us from time to time,” Molina told the Blue Ribbon Committee headed by Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo.
She, however, admitted that the RCPMO was using the motorboat of the agriculture office in its monitoring work.
Molina cited that there were only 25 illegal fish pens counted as of March 5, 2013, but the number suddenly ballooned to 206 from April to May, the height of the campaign period for the May 13 election.
Aside from the fish pens, according to Molina, there were 806 other structures such as fish traps called “batikwas”, “sure-win”, “sky lab” and “sky blue” supposedly owned by marginal fishermen, which, unlike fish pens, do not require any commercial feeds and therefore do not pollute rivers.
Gutierrez resigned on June 3 — after then Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez became acting mayor a few days after the election as Lim was hospitalized starting May 12 — and Molina’s office was tasked to assume RCPMO’s duties.
Fernandez, who defeated Lim in the mayoralty race, then ordered Molina to identify the operators of illegal fish pens, tag the location of these structures, and conduct daily monitoring and patrolling of the rivers.
The new mayor eventually disbanded RCPMO on July 3 and replaced this with Task Force Bantay Ilog with Molina as head, tasked with dismantling the 206 identified illegal fish pens and clear the city’s rivers.
PENDING CASES
The fish pens in question have been removed except for 58 whose owners presented land titles and proof of payment of taxes as evidence that these structures are located on private properties that previously served as fishponds until the dikes were washed out and became part of the river.
The 58 cases are awaiting resolution from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Molina said when the DENR decides in favor of the owners, their fish pens will be re-positioned to ensure that these will not impede navigation and threaten the rivers.
The other councilors present during the hearing were Jeslito Seen, chairman of the committee on agriculture; Maybelyn Fernandez, Karlos Reyna, Alfie Fernandez, co-chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee; Alvin Coquia, Marvin Fabia and Joaquin Reyes.
Others who attended were representatives of the Ulupan na Managsigay ed Dagupan and the local fishpond owners associations and Asst. Legal Officer Roy Laforteza.
During the hearing, the chair of the Blue Ribbon body affirmed that the body can investigate in aid of legislation complaints formally put forward by any citizen.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
