Police release illegal fishers without filing charges

CEBU, Philippines - A barangay captain in northern Cebu was dismayed after his effort to arrest illegal fishermen in his area turned futile when policemen released them without filing any charges.

Malbago, Daanbantayan Barangay Captain Virgilio Misa is suspecting that somebody is protecting the illegal fishermen.

“Murag naay nihangyo nga dili kasohan,” Misa told reporters at the Capitol yesterday.

Misa himself apprehended five fishermen after he personally saw them throwing dynamite at the seawaters of their barangay. He was assisted by two members of the Barangay Intelligence Network.

He confiscated assorted fishes, unused dynamite bottles, a compressor, flashlights and the pumpboat and reported it to the Daanbantayan Police Station.

Misa said that after the incident was recorded in the police blotter, PO2 Alfredo Mandal and two other policemen went to his barangay and took some pieces of evidence.

Misa said that he and the police agreed to file the case the following day and he will just wait for them in the barangay in going to Cebu City.

He waited several hours, prompting him to check with the police station on why nobody came.

“Naanad man gud ko nga hapiton ko nila paingon sa province pero wala man,” he also said.

Misa said he was told by Mandal that they returned to the police station after their chief, Insp. Roseller Paller, called them and told them to file the case later.

Misa was asked to wait for Paller at the station but he left after several hours of waiting.

Last Wednesday, Misa said he was surprised to see the suspects on board a multicab of the neighboring barangay of Calape where the suspects live.

The suspects even thanked him for not filing a case against them and asked for their fishing paraphernalia but Misa said he refused.

Misa visited the Cebu City Police Office (CPPO) yesterday to ask what to do with the illegal fishing equipment that they have confiscated and how to go after the suspects who were already freed. The fishermen were Rommel Pepito, 26; Mendez Mercader, 34; Julius Martinez, 19; Roel Formentera, 34 and Teburcio Casas, 37.

Mandal, for his part, claimed that they sent communication to Misa through radio and called him several times in his cellular phone but the barangay captain failed to appear at the police station.

“Sa sige namo og contact niya wala man gyud muari paminaw namo disinterested siya sa kaso,” Mandal said.

Mandal added that they could not file a case unless Misa, as the arresting officer, will execute an affidavit as well as his two barangay tanods Danilo Villegas and Luciano Malinao.

The fishermen were released because the reglamentary period had lapsed, he said.

“Kung moingon siya nga hapiton siya sa una ra man na. Karon lahi na man ang hepe dapat siya gyud muari ngari,” he said.  (FREEMAN)