SAGAY CITY – Bantay Dagat officials said that their campaign for the preservation and protection of the 32,000 hectare Sagay Marine Reserve continues without let-up, despite threats against the lives of some of its members.

This was announced almost four months after a group of armed men attacked a marine sanctuary outpost and injured two persons.

A Bantay Dagat member injured in the attack of the Maca Reef in Dec. 27 last year, identified as Roger Bulahan, is now an amputee, after his right leg was hit by bullets, Supt. William Senoron, Sagay police chief, said.

SMR Superintendent Antonio Cueva yesterday debunked allegations that they are depriving small fishermen from enjoying the bounty of the marine sanctuary, saying they are only protecting and regulating the harvest of marine products taken from their territorial waters.

“We are even lenient with those small fishermen caught inside the marine sanctuary, as fines imposed on them are very small compared to those required by the law,” Cueva said.

He said fishing and taking of shells is prohibited within the areas of Carbin and Maca reefs, but small fishermen are allowed to go fishing in other areas of SMR within the bounds of the law, but not the big commercial fishing vessels.

Cueva said they are constructing another watch tower at the Panal Reef, which is near the boundary of Cadiz and Sagay, to further protect SMR against the intrusion of poachers from nearby areas in northern Negros, and even as far as Bantayan, Cebu and Panay islands.

Days after the attack on Maca Reef, about 13 kilometers offshore from Brgy. Old Sagay, Sagay City, the marine sanctuary outpost was beefed up with 611th Provincial Mobile Group troopers, while the Sagay police helps the SMR Bantay Dagat in their seaborne patrols, Senoron said.

Police investigations show that the attackers of the marine sanctuary outpost who claimed to be New People’s Army rebels, were looking for firearms and two Bantay Dagat members who have been always in the forefront of arresting and filing cases against poachers at the SMR.

SMR has 36 Bantay Dagat members patrolling round-the-clock the 32,000-hectare marine reserve area.

Enting Braganza who is now on his 15th years as a BD member of SMR, said the illegal fishing involving big fishing vessels is no longer a problem as it has already been contained, but not the cat-and- mouse- operations of hard-headed small fishermen.

Braganza, however, said they are always on 24-hour alert to protect the SMR from poachers.

He said there are some people who keep inquiring about the whereabouts of some BD members, or their duty details.

Sagay Mayor Alfredo Maranon Jr. recently met with mayors of coastal towns and cities in northern Negros, to strengthen the campaign against illegal fishing. Authorities are also verifying reports that NPA has started to organize mass-based organizations in the coastal areas.

The Jean Pelle Command of the New People’s Army had earlier claimed responsibility for the disarming of two militiamen at the port of Brgy. Vito, Sagay, and for a raid of a BD outpost in Toboso, last year.

Lito Villaflor, who was also injured in the right thigh during the strafing and attack at Maca Reef, has gone back to duty after two months of recuperation.

He, however, said his determination to protect the SMR remains the same.

SMR is blessed with productive marine eco-system such as coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, among others. It is the source of livelihood of about 30 percent of Sagay City population, records show.

It won the 1997 Galing Gawad Pook Presidential Award and the 2006 Best Ecotourism Destination for Region VI.*GPB

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