Cordova cops asked to explain failure to arrest illegal fishers

The Cordova Police has a lot of explaining to do about an anti-illegal fishing operation they conducted last Tuesday wherein no fisherman was arrested but materials used for illegal fishing were seized.

Cebu Provincial Police Office deputy director for administration Supt. Agustin Lloveras said police officials are puzzled about what happened, adding that based on common sense and past experiences, the arrest of a person sans evidences is logical over the confiscation of evidences without the person involved.

Lloveras said that although he does not have doubts on the manner of the conduct of the operations, the Cordova police have to explain why they were not able to arrest the fishermen responsible for the crime.

Last Tuesday at around 9:30 a.m., a team of Cordova policemen led by SPO3 Felix Espinosa conducted a sea borne patrol at the seawaters off Gilutongan Island.

The team confiscated two softdrink bottles containing what was believed to be ammonium nitrate, blasting caps, fishnets, and assorted fishes believed to be caught using illegal fishing methods. - Gregg M. Rubio