The civil society group Save El Nido has urged the municipal government to declare the leader of a group of jetski enthusiasts, who allegedly violated the regulations within their marine protected area, as persona non grata.
The group made this call in response to learning that El Nido mayor Edna Gacot-Lim had condemned IWA and its prohibited activities within the town’s marine protected area (MPA).
Save El Nido wants Vincent Tajanlangit, the reported head of the group that came from Iloilo, declared as persona non grata or person not welcome. Jetskis are not allowed in protected areas due to their powerful engines, which can disrupt fragile marine ecosystems.
“We hope that, aside from the PAMB, you will discuss this in the municipality and in the municipal council for the possibility of declaring Mr. Vincent Tajanlangit and company as persona non grata,” Save El Nido said in a letter to the municipal government.
Save El Nido stated that as of press time, they do not have the names of the other IWA members who were part of the group.
The non-governmental group also emphasized that what the IWA did inside the protected areas in North Palawan should not be forgotten but should be addressed and thoroughly investigated.
Save El Nido expressed gratitude to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) office for being the first to respond to the scene.
“The only agency that tried to stop the jetski adventure to continue. They might have failed then but we are hoping that with the support of other agencies, they will succeed. We will follow up on this and we hope the PAMB will discuss this issue thoroughly and demand the highest legally allowable penalty,” Save El Nido said.
“We hope that your office will be the one making sure that their violations will not be just a mere slap on the wrist but would have a lasting impact that would make people who are violating think twice or would never even think of doing violations in protected areas in the first place,” the group added.
Meanwhile, El Nido councilor Sonny Llanera, chair of the committee on environment, denied that no one from the municipal government intervened to stop the jetskiers from violating the MPA.
In an interview with Palawan News on Wednesday, he said a personnel from the municipal government’s business permitting and licensing office saw the jetskiers on June 6 in Nacpan and informed IWA that their activity is prohibited in the marine protected area.
“During that time, noong nasa Nacpan sila, nandoon din yong si BPLO—yong staff ng licensing, tinawag nila [yong mga taga IWA,] marami sila, tinawag niya, pinapunta niya ang isa. Sinabihan niya na ‘Sir, bawal po dito yan kasi protected area.’ Pero ang sabi [ng taga IWA,] ‘Hindi wala kaming elesi.’ Nagrarason daw,” Llanera said.
“Sinabihan ng taga licensing na hindi pinag-uusapan kung may elesi o wala. Ang sinasabi dito, bawal ang jetski,” he added. “Ang ginawa pa, patakbo ng patakbo—parang nang asar pa,” he added.
Save El Nido also asked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to release a clarificatory statement regarding the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) status of Tajanlangit and the other members of IWA.
