Van of seashells bound for China held in Lapu

A 40-foot container van with 25 tons of seashells bound for China was seized in barangay Subabasbas, Lapu-Lapu City.

The van was opened yesterday by fisheries and environment personnel at  the grounds of Lapu-Lapu City Hall yesterday.

A certain Jan Vincent Ong who identified himself as the owner was unable to show documents for  the cargo.

When asked for his auxiliary and business permits, Ong said they  were still being processed.

“We held the shipment because he didn’t show  papers,” said SPO1 Jomar Ybañez, leader of  Task Force Kalikasan.

The task force was on patrol in barangay Subabasbas when they  spotted people loading cartons and sacks of seashells in the  van.

Ong’s lawyer Glenn Villariza and Lapu-Lapu City legal officer Yuri Belvan were present during the opening of the van and inventory of its  contents.

The owner of the container van was identified as Sabtiri D. Jalili, a proprietor of Seashells and Souvenir Exports.

The shells were scheduled to be delivered yesterday to Shenzhen Ruifu Trading Co., Ltd, which has offices in  Tai Ranjiu Road Futian District of China.

Some of the shells found were scallops, tuna shells, puka  shells and sigay.

They were placed in 450 boxes and sacks .

“All items are legal, but it’s now up to the local government unit (LGU) to determine if the items have the right documents,”  said BFAR officer Randolph Coralles.

He said the transport of   seashells within the country needs  an auxiliary permit from the local government unit. A  fisheries commodity clearance is required for transporting them abroad.

In another case, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she will check with the Capitol’s legal office what  legal action to take against the barangay captain and 20 fishermen who were released after fishing in restricted waters in Oslob town, south Cebu.

Last Saturday, Tanieto Luardo, barangay captain of Suba, Samboan town and 20 fishermen on board F/B San Antonio were arrested by Bantay Dagat personnel for fishing in the  waters of barangay Caceres in Oslob town.

A Bantay Dagat team confiscated 120 kilograms of a various fish.

A   Samboan municipal  ordinance prohibits non-Samboan residents from fishing in in municipal waters.

The fishermen and Luardo paid a P52,500 fine for their immediate release at 2 p.m. yesterday. With Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus