Enriquez claims success versus illegal fishing

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Bantay Dagat project director Cesar Enriquez claimed success in the campaign against illegal fishing activities within its territorial jurisdiction.

Enriquez said they have completely stopped dynamite fishing in the seawaters of the city through constant patrol.

He said constant patrol has discouraged illegal fishers because their pump boats will be seized as soon as they get caught. They will also face criminal charges in court.

In fact, Enriquez said there are four engines of pumpboats that are kept in their stockroom after they were seized by his personnel. Enriquez said that the illegally-caught fishes that were confiscated by Bantay Dagat operatives last year have been donated to different charitable institutions like the Parian Drop-In Center, Department of Social Welfare and Services, Missionary of Charity and Asilo dela Medalla Milagrosa. 

He denied reports that he sold two of the pump boat engines they earlier seized.

“Naa ra man ang maong makina nga giingong akong gibaligya. Buhat-buhat ra kadtong report sa mga kanhi sakop sa Bantay Dagat nga akong gitaktak kay dili maayo og binuhatan,” Enriquez said.

Enriquez used to be the operations chief of the Central Command formerly Visayas Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He was appointed by then mayor Tomas Osmeña as Bantay Dagat project director in June 2006 following the death of Elpidio “Jojo” dela Victoria.

But in spite of his experience in the law enforcement, Enriquez’s performance was described to be below par compared to that of dela Victoria.  

Dela Victoria used to be very effective in his campaign against illegal fishing. He was known for his “market denial” approach wherein illegally-caught fish are confiscated before they reached to the market.

Dela Victoria’s unrelenting campaign has earned him the ire of the people behind the illegal fishing activities in Cebu. In June 2006, he was gunned down outside his residence in Talisay City.

Police officer Marcial Ocampo was charged and convicted for the crime wherein he was sentenced to life imprisonment by then Regional Trial Court Judge Ireneo Lee Gako.– (FREEMAN)