By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz — The Capiz Provincial Bantay Dagat will continue its anti-illegal fishing operation despite two patrol boats being destroyed after unidentified suspects lobbed dynamites on Thursday midnight, July 11, at the shoreline of Brgy. Balogo in Pilar, Capiz.
Police Major Alfred del Leon, Pilar police chief, said they will be joined by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), PNP Maritime, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the operation.
He said the agency will not be stopped from protecting the marine resources and coral reefs of Capiz.
Last week, two of the three patrol boats docked at the shoreline of Brgy. Balogo were damaged, including their engines, after they were attacked with dynamites by unidentified suspects.
He mentioned that he was informed on Friday morning, July 12, by the Bantay Dagat personnel about the incident.
The police investigation indicated that one of the dynamites failed to explode on the other patrol boat.
“We conclude that the suspects might be those persons we ran after during last week’s anti-illegal fishing operation of the Bantay Dagat,” De Leon said.
Prior to the incident, the Provincial Bantay Dagat pursued a group of fishing boats from Brgy. Guinticgan Carles, Iloilo, that were conducting illegal fishing activities using dynamite. However, the fishermen managed to escape from the authorities.
The Provincial Bantay Dagat is currently intensifying its anti-illegal fishing operations in the seawaters of the province of Capiz.
Several individuals have been arrested and charged in court for violating the anti-illegal fishing laws and ordinances.
