The local government of Araceli, Palawan, and its residents have expressed strong opposition to the entry and spearfishing activities of a group of content creators on Cambari Island, which is designated as a marine protected area.
The incident quickly spread on social media after residents of Araceli and concerned citizens came across a post showing the content creators displaying their large catch from Cambari Island through spearfishing. As a result, they immediately called the attention of both the content creators and the local government unit.
In an interview with Palawan News, Roderick Zerrudo, the officer-in-charge of the Araceli Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), expressed disappointment over the actions of the content creators, who are also from Palawan. He pointed out that Cambari Island is being protected by the municipality not only because it is a tourist attraction but also because it serves as a breeding ground for fish.
He said it was clear that they violated the municipal ordinance of Araceli as well as Section 101 of the Fishery Code of the Philippines, which prohibits fishing in marine protected areas, fishery reserves, or fish sanctuaries declared by the local government.
Because of this, he immediately launched an investigation and confirmed that some of their fellow residents in Araceli were among those who accompanied the content creators into the MPA without the necessary permits—something that the involved vloggers had previously admitted.
These individuals will be the first to be summoned to determine the truth about what happened, as they were reportedly the ones who invited and served as guides for the content creators who entered Cambari Island and engaged in spearfishing.
“Ang unang-una na ipapatawag namin ‘yung naging guide nila saka bangka (may-ari) na nagdala doon. Kasi ayon sa impormasyon na nakuha ko rin doon ay hindi naman daw sila pumunta (content creators) rito ng sila lang kundi ay inimbita raw sila. ‘Yun ang inaalam ko pa kung sino ang nag-imbita sa kanila, pero hindi nila sinasabi,” Zerrudo said.
“May mga picture din dito na sinend sa akin na doon sila talaga tumuloy sa bahay ng taga Araceli at saka doon rin sila nagkakape at doon rin sila kumakain,” he added.
The official also emphasized that they regularly conduct patrols in Cambari Island and other MPAs in their municipality to ensure their protection.
However, on that particular day, their two patrol boats were undergoing maintenance, while other law enforcement units assisting them were occupied with the rescue and towing of a stranded barge in their waters.
“Hindi ko lang alam kung nagkataon lang o itinaon talaga. Nagkataon na ‘yung bangka ng Bantay Dagat ay nasa tabi lahat para i-repair, pinipinturan, pinapalitan ng kahoy kasi papunta na sa magandang panahon. Kaya nangyari ‘yun na hindi alam ng Bantay Dagat, hindi alam ng Coast Guard, hindi alam ng mga kasama namin sa law enforcement, ng Blue Alliance kasi nagkataon na humihila rin sila ng barge na tumaob dito. Hinihila at ‘yung tug boat na sinasakyan nila ay nandun sumama ang Agriculture, Bantay Dagat at Coast Guard kaya hindi alam na nangyari pala na nagkaganoon,” explained Zerrudo.
For now, they are set to discuss the matter with the Sangguniang Bayan of Araceli and other concerned agencies to determine all the violations committed by the group, their corresponding liabilities, and the possible penalties that may be imposed on them.
If the vloggers had gone to the municipal office to inquire about obtaining authorization before indulging in spearfishing, they would have avoided making a mistake.
“Ang pagkakamali nila ay hindi sila pumunta sa opisina ng munisipyo. Kung intension nilang magpaalam, magpunta talaga sila. Kahit magtanong man lang sila sa guard sana at kung nakapunta sila sa opisina, tatawag sila sa akin ‘yan ang mga naiwan na tao sa opisina. Kung intensyon din talaga nilang magpaalam, ang Bantay Dagat na assistance ay nasa opisina rin,” he stated.
Zerrudo also stated that many of their fellow residents were angered by the incident, as they had long been protecting the island, only to hear reports of people entering and engaging in activities that are strictly prohibited.
He stressed that they had been actively protecting the area, only for it to be carelessly exploited. He also pointed out that the content creators selectively caught only the largest and most desirable fish, avoiding the less appealing ones.
He further explained that the fish in that area had grown to such sizes precisely because of the strict protection and monitoring efforts they had maintained.
Meanwhile, Palawan News continues to reach out to the content creators involved, but one of them, who was previously contacted by the news team for an interview, has yet to respond.
In a Facebook post, one of the vloggers from the group apologized for their actions, stating that they had no idea and were not informed that the islands in Araceli were designated as MPAs.
The vlogger also emphasized that they are law-abiding citizens who advocate for environmental conservation, particularly in marine ecosystems.
However, they insisted that no one had informed them that the island where they engaged in spearfishing was a marine protected area.
