Five men arrested for illegal fishing

CEBU, Philippines - Five men were arrested for illegal fishing in two incidents in Daanbantayan, Cebu.

Regan Montana, 31, Franklin Lachinebre, 21, Jessie Dublin, 21 and Manases Mahinay, 26, all residents of Barangay Maya, were arrested for using dynamite while fishing last Thursday morning.

Also confiscated from the suspects were one illegal breathing apparatus, two rolls of hose, two paddle boats, three fishing spear, a compressor machine tank and one pump boat.

The team of PO2 Clieo Bohol cited the four men while patroling the seawaters off Barangay Maya.A case has been filed against the suspects before the Regional Trial Court in Bogo City.

Meanwhile, also in Barangay Maya, Eduardo Cañete, 45, was arrested last Wednesday night for possession of assorted dynamite blasted fishes weighing about five kilos.

A team led by PO2 George Banatasa was patroling the seawaters in the barangay when they heard a dynamite explode. They immediately proceeded to the area and found Cañete with the blasted fishes.

The suspect is now detained at the Daanbantayan Police station while awaiting the filing of charges against him.

In a separate development, a special unit meant to monitor sugarcane hauling within Cebu was formed under the Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force of the provincial government.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed a Memorandum of Agreement with sugarcane planters, haulers and millers to limit the amount of sugarcane that can be transported on public roads. The agreement is intended to preserve roads and avoid possible accidents.

The Executive Order, which took effect last April 1, states that haulers “can only load canes up to two feet beyond the edge of the siding and must not be beyond 13 feet from the ground.”

Jose Marie Gastardo, consultant of the Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force, said in an interview that there were two teams added under the Task Force – the first was the team tasked to monitor illegal quarrying activities in Cebu.

Last January, a group called “Team Eskina” was formed to man checkpoints and implement market denial of illegally caught fish. Other teams include “Team Pukot” composed of seaborne patrol men and “Team Aninaw” which conducts surveillance.

Gastardo said operations conducted by the teams late last year and early this year resulted to numerous apprehensions.

Just last month, Team Eskina recovered 2 million worth of blasted fish from two six wheeler trucks in Carmen and Catmon towns in the northern part of Cebu. — (FREEMAN)