The same officials claimed that those responsible for it must be blamed for the destruction of marine life in the bay, one of the cleanest in the entire country.

They have warned people here to stop polluting the bay since such is a criminal act that destroys the biodiversity of the bay, which Hagedorn had tried to consistently protect over the years.

Hagedorn had received several awards for his environmental protection program and his campaign against illegal logging and marine pollution.

Bishop Pedro Arigo of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa said the wastes, comprised of plastics, cartoons, sachets, among others, have occupied almost 300 meters of the coastal waters of barangay Tiniguiban.

Arigo invited media practitioners here Friday to witness and get video footages of the unabated disposal of wastes, which he suspected was being done by marginalized fishermen on board their fishing boats.

He appealed to them to stop doing it, adding that he would ask other groups to talk with the parties involved.

The church official urged the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and other environmental-concerned agencies to investigate the problem and to prevent its aggravation.

He also called residents to vigilance in the protection and conservation of marine resources, citing that the city’s environment is unique and must be safeguarded.

Puerto Princesa is a cleanest and greenest city Hall of Fame awardee.

Arigo recalled that three years ago, from where he lived at "Bahay ng mga Pari," he observed flocks of wild ducks and an abundance of crabs, shrimps and fish species being caught by gatherers and fisherfolk at the mangrove areas.

"Their numbers are decreasing nowadays and I fear that they will be gone if we will not protect our environment," he told the Philippines News Agency (PNA).