Capitol task force warns buses against carrying blasted fish

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force vows to also go after bus companies caught transporting blasted fish.

Task force field team coordinator Jeofrey Merencillo said they have started warning bus companies this week to avoid transporting fishes especially without its owners.

The warning was issued, Merencillo said, after finding out that several bus companies transport fishes that were later found to be caught using dynamite. Nobody was being arrested because the owners of the cargo were not around.

Merencillo said they were prompted to issue the warning when they apprehended another bus along Compostela last Tuesday which carried 14 boxes of sardines locally known as tuloy. The fishes in two of the boxes were found out to be blasted, he said.

The bus conductor told them that the owner of the cargoes did not go with them as they were only told that somebody from Taboan Market will claim the boxes of fish. They were paid P50 for each box.

“After ato, among giwarningan ang mga tag-iya ug kadtong supervisor sa bus company ingna inyo company na dili magkarga og isda labi na kung walay tag-iya, kay kamo unya among kasuhan,” Merencillo said.

“Gipanghingusgan man gud nato ang kampanya karon kay 101 percent man si Governor (Gwendolyn Garcia) misuporta. So we will be looking ways. Muabot man gani siguro ang panahon na ultimo porlon atong parahon,” he added in jest.

Merencillo said they plan to meet with the management of bus companies along with Governor Garcia for a possible signing of a memorandum of agreement. (FREEMAN)