Police arrested four fishermen who were caught hauling corals in the waters off barangay Tangke, Talisay City, yesterday morning.
Alki Palas, 45, owner of the pumpboat; Henry Borja, 41; Richie Garufel, 22; and Climaco Bardilas, all residents of Tangke, were arrested by elements of the Fishermen Sea Ecological Care (Fiseca) after they were spotted loading corals into a pump boat off Pungaton Reef.
Greg dela Torre, chief of Fiseca, said the seized corals weighed at least three tons. The corals were believed to be 20 years old.
Palas said they did not know that harvesting corals was prohibited. He said they planned to use the corrals to construct a dike where their pump boats will be docked.
Dela Torre said the fishermen will be charged for violation of Section 91 of Article 8550 or the ban on coral exploitation and exportation./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC