Madrigal, 11 others charged for ‘illegally arresting’ fishermen

CEBU, Philippines - Former Capitol Chief Security Officer Loy Madrigal and 11 others were indicted before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly illegally arresting fishermen in Bantayan Island.

Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Ferdinand Collantes found sufficient grounds to hold Madrigal, Servidio Panares, Titing Rubio, Danilo Rosales, Junior Micarsos, Onel Anislagon, Oscar Conje, Bobby Monterde, a certain Gilly, and three unidentified persons for trial for slight illegal detention. 

“After thorough evaluation of the evidence at hand, undersigned finds that there is sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that the crime for violation of slight illegal detention,” the resolution read. 

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by boat captains Donato Villaceran and Rogelio Forrosuelo. 

Villaceran alleged that Madrigal, now founder of the Guardian of the Seas, an anti-illegal fishing group composed of fishermen in northern Cebu, and other respondents illegally apprehended them last year while in the waters off Kinatarcan, Santa Fe in Bantayan Island. 

They were arrested for allegedly using the prohibited Danish seine method of fishing or hulbot-hulbot. 

While heading to Kaongkod, Madridejos, Villaceran alleged, Madrigal and his men on board two motorized pump boats intercepted them.

He asked Madrigal why they were being intercepted but the latter allegedly told him not to complain and reintroduced himself as a Capitol employee. 

Aside from their boat, Villaceran said Madrigal ordered his men to also intercept the boat of Forrosuelo, who was then headed to Hagnaya, San Remigio with his crew.

The two boat captains and their crewmembers were forcibly brought to Barangay Bitoon, Kinatarcan.

Villaceran said it was later that they were released by Madrigal. 

In his counter-affidavit, the former Capitol official said they conducted citizen’s arrest because they caught the fishermen in the act of committing the crime. 

Collantes, however, ruled in favor of the complainants. He said the defense of the respondents is best tackled during full-blown trial in court. — (FREEMAN)