Post by Jaime Laude on Jul 20, 2007 6:51:36 GMT 8
Extract from The Philippine Star
A suspected dynamite fisher was killed while four of his companions were arrested by Philippine Navy personnel in a Manila Bay sea chase Thursday.
The identities of the alleged illegal fishermen were not immediately available as they were brought to the Cavite police for proper disposition, Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Giovanni Bacordo said.
He said Navy personnel were conducting a joint patrol with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel aboard a BFAR vessel in Manila Bay when they monitored a series of explosions near Corregidor island.
When they tried to intercept the motorboat driven by people the lawmen believed to have engaged in dynamite fishing, a barrage of dynamite lobbed by the suspects met the Navy men and BFAR personnel.
“While approaching, the BFAR personnel alerted the suspected fishermen through a megaphone to yield in for inspection, but the crew began hurling live dynamites to the authorities and hurriedly sped away,” Bacordo said.
This triggered a sea chase and the fleeing fishermen continued to lob sticks of dynamite toward the pursuing BFAR vessel despite repeated warning shots from the Navy men.
Bacordo said the impact of the explosions that nearly hit the BFAR vessel prompted the Navy men to fire on the skipper of the escaping motorboat, killing him.
The Navy men found several sticks of dynamite and a locally made shotgun in the motorboat. All four crewmembers surrendered.
“Dynamite fishing has become an alarming environmental and economic threat to the country,” Bacordo said as he maintained that the Navy men observed the rules of engagement during the sea chase.
Jaime Laude
DYNAMITE FISHER KILLED, 4 OTHERS NABBED IN SEA CHASE
A suspected dynamite fisher was killed while four of his companions were arrested by Philippine Navy personnel in a Manila Bay sea chase Thursday.
The identities of the alleged illegal fishermen were not immediately available as they were brought to the Cavite police for proper disposition, Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Giovanni Bacordo said.
He said Navy personnel were conducting a joint patrol with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel aboard a BFAR vessel in Manila Bay when they monitored a series of explosions near Corregidor island.
When they tried to intercept the motorboat driven by people the lawmen believed to have engaged in dynamite fishing, a barrage of dynamite lobbed by the suspects met the Navy men and BFAR personnel.
“While approaching, the BFAR personnel alerted the suspected fishermen through a megaphone to yield in for inspection, but the crew began hurling live dynamites to the authorities and hurriedly sped away,” Bacordo said.
This triggered a sea chase and the fleeing fishermen continued to lob sticks of dynamite toward the pursuing BFAR vessel despite repeated warning shots from the Navy men.
Bacordo said the impact of the explosions that nearly hit the BFAR vessel prompted the Navy men to fire on the skipper of the escaping motorboat, killing him.
The Navy men found several sticks of dynamite and a locally made shotgun in the motorboat. All four crewmembers surrendered.
“Dynamite fishing has become an alarming environmental and economic threat to the country,” Bacordo said as he maintained that the Navy men observed the rules of engagement during the sea chase.
Jaime Laude