DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered the dismantling of fishpens as these were affecting the livelihood of other fisherfolk.
President Duterte made the statement during his arrival honors at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport after his landing Wednesday night.
Duterte also gave an ultimatum of until the second week of December for fishpen operators to make an arrangement with the proper agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Bureau of Fisheries.
“If you cannot do the job, by this second week of December, i will order the military to destroy it,” Duterte said.
Duterte said he was authorizing the DENR to delineate the fish pen operations of existing areas.
However, he lamented that there were people in high places who were operating fish pens at the expense of poor fisherfolk.
“Itong fishpens, marami ‘to… governors, mayors, brgy captains, military, police, retired or active duty, lahat, pati mga presidente noon. Talagang pinipiga ang mga pilipino,” said Duterte “You are depriving them and everybody of the need not even to live at this time but to survive,” he said.
Mr. Duterte challenged those who were against the order to go to the Supreme Court and even the Ombudsman if they wanted to oppose the order.
“Kung ayaw ninyong liitan, sisirain ko. So you lose your investments, I don’t care,” he said. (Yas D. Ocampo)