Bantay Dagat seizes half a ton of fish caught by illegal means

CEBU, Philippines - The head of the Cebu City Bantay Dagat task force has reported that his team had seized more than half a ton of illegally-caught fish while in transit to Cebu City from July to December last year.

Bantay Dagat project director Cesar Enriquez failed to include in a previous report to Mayor Michael Rama the particulars of his work for the first six months of last year.

Rama had said he was ready to relieve Enriquez from his post if the records would show that his performance for the past years was unsatisfactory.

In his current report, Enriquez claimed he had inspected marine products that were transported to Cebu City from several places, including those from the northern towns of Cebu, but most bad been found to be legally caught.

Enriquez told Rama the confiscated marine products went to different charitable institutions such as the Parian Drop-In Center, Department of Social Welfare and Services, Missionary of Charity, and Asilo dela Medalla Milagrosa. 

In a span of six months, a few persons were arrested for illegal fishing and charged in court, their fishing equipment seized, Enriquez said.

He said fishermen Diomedes Cabisan and Pablo Cabanag Jr. of barangay Pooc, Talisay City were arrested by his men last July 7 for using fine-mesh nets, in violation of Section 89 of Republic Act 8550.

In another operation, Bantay Dagat operatives arrested Glenn Inoc, 28, and Buenaventura Inoc, 53, for dynamite fishing in the seawaters off Catarman, Cordova town and Cebu City last November 14, he said.

Enriquez also told Rama that his personnel had seized an abandoned motorized pump boat with an air compressor. He said men on the boat escaped when they saw lawmen approaching.

But Enriquez said based on their investigation they learned that the two persons who abandoned the pump boat were Ramil Cabaluna, 48, and Kevin Cabaluna, 18, from barangay Tulay, Minglanilla,

According to Enriquez his men continuously patrol the seawaters of Cebu City everyday except during bad weather. Constant patrolling has led to the confiscation of illegal fishing equipment such as fine mesh nets.

Enriquez replaced Elpidio "Jojo" dela Victoria was gunned down. (FREEMAN)