Updates Page 7.
During the months of June July and most of August, the Tuna shoals enter the San Bernadino strait and head south moving through the central Visayas towards Mindanao.
Since the end of May until now (4th July) the use of Dynamite in the San Bernadino strait areas has increased almost 1000%.
This is due to the upcoming election which depends on votes and funds from the Dynamite fishermen and suppliers.
This Wild West style of rampant killing now includes the use of guns.
Dolphins are being shot by the fishermen when seen near Tuna shoals.
This too is "Good Business" for the local Mayor and Congressman of San Antonio Island because the guns and ammunition are also illegally manufactured in the village of Burabod, (home of these politicians.)
The numbers of dead Dolphins reported now far outnumber those of dead Turtles, this is perhaps due to the Tuna season which will last until September.
The Tuna are entering the Visayan seas through the San Bernadino strait followed by the Dolphins, these shoals take a southern route and from 6 to 18 hours to pass Cebu/Negros/Bohol waters.
The Mayors and Tourism officials from those areas are enraged by the large numbers of wounded and dead dolphins washed up on the coast, deaths caused by gunshot.
It's possible that these animals, whilst found dead 6 to 18 hours away from the San Bernadino strait, Samar, could have been shot in the Northern Samar area and still alive but wounded, managed to arrive and eventually die off the Negros and Bohol coasts.
Not only have the numbers of explosions increased this last month but also the sizes of the blasts, which are now never less than one gallon!
A one gallon blast will cause ear damage underwater within an extended distance of up to 1,600 meters.
We calculate that between now and the election in May 2001, several hundred Dolphins and up to 350 Turtles will be killed.
This is the price of Philippine Politics on one small Island.
Just to elect a Mayor and a local congressman.
Apart from constant monitoring of explosions in the Samar seas, our investigations are positively ongoing in two defined directions.
1. The Associates have uncovered a link between the Austrian, Mr Fritz Vogel, who is wanted for questioning in connection to the death of the Italian Diver Mr Mario Sartiani, and the Dept of Tourism in Tacloban Leyte who control the area of Northern Samar.
Mr Fritz Vogel, a printer by trade, is a DiveMaster and often called upon to take part in cohort missions that require underwater expertise, these missions are financed by the Austrian Government.
"Fritz" is not his real name. click here for the Mario Sartirani story
2. Congressman Abayon is a frequent visitor to Papua New Guinea where under the guise of converting PNG Parliamentarians to his Seventh Day Adventist faith,(with the aid of the Philippine Ambassador, also a SDA), is also promoting the export of dynamite fishing and illegal logging technology.
Several "Newly Converted" Parliamentarians from PNG have been taken to visit the now deforested Northern Samar and in particular the Island of Dalupiri.
The names of these Parliamentarians may be requested by e mail. arabone@hotmail.com
Please help by sending a protest to the Philippine Department of Tourism; CLICK HERE.