Three fishers nabbed for blast fishing in Olango Island

CEBU, Philippines - Three fishermen were arrested yesterday morning after the Task Force Kalikasan of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office caught one of them throw a dynamite bottle to the sea in Barangay Panagnaan, Olango Island.

Police Officer 3 Kent Lisen and his TFK group responded to the island after they received a phone call from one concerned citizen of the island tipping them of the rampant fishing activities with the use of explosives.

At around 8 a.m., brothers Ramilito, 40, and Renato Cabanday, 52, together with their relative Renero Siton, 39, were arrested. The three are all residents of the island.

The TFK group confiscated three paddle boats, two bottles of explosives containing a mixture of ammonium nitrate, three improvised fins, three goggles and two kilograms of alleged dynamite-stained fish.

Prior to the arrest, Lisen and the rest of the group made an overnight surveillance on the three suspects.

When the sun had risen the following day, they spotted the three going to the sea. It was Renato who was caught red-handed, throwing the explosive bottle into the water.

As soon as they paddled back to the shore, the police immediately went arrest them. The suspects planned to escape but were intercepted by the TFK authorities, according to police.

The recovered pieces of evidence were brought to the TFK office while the three suspects are behind bars in LCPO detention cell and will be charged with complaint in relation to illegal fishing.  (FREEMAN)