The authorities arrested three fishermen last week for fishing using explosives in the municipal waters of Looc, Occidental Mindoro.
The suspects, all residents of Sitio Tabao, Brgy. Ambil, Looc, Occidental Mindoro are now facing charges in violation of Section 92 which is Fishing Through Explosives which is a violation of the Philippine Fishery Code also known as Republic Act 8550 as amended by Republic Act 10654. They are now under the custody of Looc Municipal Police Station.
In a news release by the BFAR, the suspects were on board motorboat Kiel when the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) MIMAROPA Fishery Resource Protection Group- Lubang Team conducted a Joint Seaborne Patrol Operation at the vicinity waters of Lubang Island together with Looc and Lubang Municipal Police Station, 76th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.
BFAR said that the team spotted one motor banca suspected of blast fishing. While they were approaching the banca, the fishermen tried to escape and threw bottles and paraphernalia into the water and fled. The operation turned into a hot pursuit as the team chased them.
They were cornered by the operatives and brought to the nearest police station.
The composite team recovered and confiscated from the suspects, the following evidences; seven bottles of 700 mL (gin quatro) with white granules inside (Ammonium nitrate), one bottle of 350 mL (gin bilog) with white granules inside (Ammonium nitrate), one blasting cap and detonating cord with matches on the tip, one unit Compressor engine, one unit compressor tank, three pieces improvised foot paddles, one 15-meter roll of compressor hose and one motor banca with 15 horse power motor engine gasoline operated.