IBA, Zambales – Personnel of the 302nd Maritime Police Station arrested a fisherman in the act of using dynamite in his fishing activity here.
Inspector Carina Oliquino, SPO4 Honorio L Jacobo Jr., PO1 Gregorio A Turingan, and PO1 Nicasio P Fiaroque Jr. along with eight Bantay Dagat members were conducting seaborne patrol operations off Iba when they spotted a group of fishermen on board unregistered motorized bancas and compressor engaged in actual illegal fishing activity.
The team tried to stop the suspects but they instead tried to escape while throwing pieces of evidence at the sea.
During the hot pursuit, one of the motorized bancas had engine trouble causing the maritime police to catch up and apprehended the fleeing suspect identified as Jess Romamban y Velasco, 50, of Barangay Lipay Dingin, Iba town.
Four other unidentified suspects managed to escape. Recovered from Romamban were improvised buoy with three used plastic container, three metal bars, two match boxes, 70-meter rope, two pieces of scoop nets, some five kilos of dalagang bukid, a Briggs Stratton 18HP engine and the unregistered motor banca.
The suspect is now under custody of the 302nd Maritime Police Station facing charges for violation of Section 92 of RA 10654 (Fishing through explosives, noxious or poisonous substance, or electricity).
