PRO8 nabs 57 illegal fishers

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
November 9, 2012

CAMP SEC. RUPERTO K. KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte  –  Elements from different line units of the Police Regional Office 8 arrested a total of 57 men the past two days for using illegal fishing methods in the seawaters of Samar, Leyte and Biliran provinces.

Eastern Visayas police director Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria said that seaborne patrols off the territorial seawaters of the 3 provinces resulted in the confiscation of 5 fishing boats while engaged in different illegal fishing practices.

“Sustained implementation of fishery law is our contribution to the preservation of the environment”, Soria said.

At about 5:45 AM of November 7, at the territorial seawater of Maripipi, Biliran, joint elements of Maripipi Police Station led by Police Inspector Edgardo Z De Asis and Bantay Dagat personnel arrested one Ronnie Baldonando, 35, married and resident of Brgy Binongto-An, Culaba, Biliran, owner and operator of the confiscated fishing boat which was used in illegal fishing activity also known as “mano-mano” in violation of Article IV, Section 15 of municipal ordinance number 2011-01 of said municipality with 4 other crew men.

At about 11:00 AM, joint elements of Calbayog City Police Station led by SPO4 Jonas Genoguin Tecbobolan and Fish Wardens of Brgy Banti-An conducted seaborne patrol within the seawaters of the aforesaid place which resulted to the confiscation of one fishing boat marked F/B Veralous while being used in illegal fishing activity locally known as Holbotan by the 10 arrested crew men skippered by one Alex Acuin Y Sodario. Subject fishing boat with an estimated market value of 1.3 million pesos is owned by Rolly Soria of Brgy Aguit-Itan, Calbayog City.

At about 7:45 PM, within the seawaters of Maripipi, Biliran, elements of Maripipi Police Station led by Police Inspector Edgardo Z De Asis confiscated a fishing boat marked F/B Kirby while being used in illegal fishing activity known as Holbotan with 9 crew men skippered by Manuel Balboa, 52, married and resident of Brgy Tucdao, Kawayan of said province. Subject fishing boat with an estimated market value of P500,000.00 is owned by one Balbino Paghunasan.

Earlier on November 6, at about 8:10AM, along Binangonan Reef, more or less 2 kilometers from the shoreline of Brgy Cogon, Palo, Leyte, joint elements of Palo Police Station led by SPO2 Absalon F Barbosa and Palo Fishery Law Enforcement Team (FLET) led by Mario L Torreros while conducting seaborne operation arrested one Salvador Regano, 34, married, fisherman and resident of Sitio San Fernando, Brgy Cogon of same municipality while engaged in illegal fishing activity with the use of air compressor which is violation of law.

At about 8:00AM, elements of Cabucgayan Police Station led by Police Senior Inspector Vicentito Untoca conducted seaborne operation within the seawater of Cabucgayan, Biliran which resulted to the apprehension of two (2) fishing boats marked Victoria 2 and Victoria 7, both owned by Pablo Lotoc, a resident of Brgy 62, Sagkahan, Tacloban City. Subject fishing boats were skippered by Nonoy Yano and Diosdado Makabenta respectively with 32 combined crew men and were used in illegal fishing activity with the use of fine net and active gear. Accordingly, both have an estimated market value of P500,000.00 and weight of 20 tons.

Recovered from the suspects were different illegal fishing paraphernalia like fine nets, bamboo boom, compressor and other gears which are prohibited by law. Confiscated fishing boats and arrested persons were subsequently released after paying the corresponding fines ranging from P1,000.00 to P25,000.00 in violation of local ordinances in the municipalities where they committed the violations.

The recent apprehensions were in addition to more than a thousand illegal fishers previously caught by the police in the region, the Regional Director informed.