Senate fails to arrest couple in black corals smuggle try

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has failed to arrest the couple who had been tagged behind the unsuccessful attempt to smuggle some P35 million worth of black corals and other marine products.

At the resumption of the hearing of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources on Monday, Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Jose Balajadia reported that Joe Pring, who also went by the names Li Yu Ming, Jose Pring, Jo Peng Li, and Jo Peng, had left the country for Hong Kong even before the committee ordered his arrest last June 8.

Balajadia said that a certain Li Yu Ming left Zamboanga last June 7 for Manila at 1:45 p.m. with a connecting flight to Hong Kong at 7:10 p.m.

“The Zamboanga-Manila flight was on board flight carrier 5J854 and the Manila to Hongkong trip was on board flight carrier 5J142,” he told the committee.

“No Olivia Li or Olivia Lim were found in the manifest for the said dates except that a certain Olivia Li was booked with a group on July 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2011. We don’t have any record of her departure however,” Balajadia added, referring to the wife of Pring.

Balajadia said Pring is a Chinese national while Li is a Filipina.

The committee had ordered the couple’s arrest for their failure to attend its hearing into rampant marine resources poaching in the country.