Man to face charges for illegal explosives

Cebu - The Integrated bar of the Philippines-National Environmental Action Team and the National Bureau of Investigation have filed charges of illegal possession of explosives against a man who was caught with several improvised explosives in Bantayan Island last October.

IBP-Neat through its chairman Atty. Antonio Oposa along with the NBI have filed charges against Godofredo Lumuntad for violation of Section 88 of RA 8550, or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Lumuntad has been one of the subjects of NBI’s operation in its cooperative efforts to curb illegal fishing in the Visayas along with Oposa’s team.

Last October 24, agents of the NBI conducted an operation in Mambacayao, Diot Gamay, Bantayan town and was able to recover from Lumuntad’s possession 20 bottles of incendiary devices locally known as “bayo” that is used for illegal fishing.

Oposa has written a letter to the NBI requesting for a conduct of an investigation regarding the rampant illegal fishing activities in the northern part of Cebu.

In response, the NBI conducted a continuous monitoring on the activities of the local fishermen that led to the arrest of Lumuntad. — Jasmin R. Uy/WAB (THE FREEMAN)