Ex-chief of Capitol anti-illegal fishing task force faces usurpation complaint

CEBU, Philippines – The former head of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force and two others are facing usurpation charges following their joint operation against illegal fishing in Kinatarcan Island, Santa Fe on August 26, 2015.

However, the Provincial Prosecutors Office has freed six other respondents who are members of the local Bantay Dagat group in the municipality of Daanbantayan.

Donato Villaceran and Rogelio Forrosuelo, boat captains of A.C. and JSV fishing boats, respectively, have filed complaints for usurpation of official functions against Loy Anthony Madrigal.

Other respondents in the case are Romelito Edar Lirasan, Servideo Pañares, Gaudencio Rubio, Danilo Rosales, Roberto Micarsos Jr., Ronelo Aneslagon Sr., Oscar Conje, and Flaviano Monterde.

“It was a joint operation by the Bantay Dagat of Daanbantayan, officials of Kinatarcan Island, Bantay Dagat of San Remigio. How can it be usurpation of authority when me and the rest of the arresting officers are Bantay Dagat of San Remigio and Daanbantayan?” Madrigal said.

Madrigal said the fishermen in Kinatarcan Island were asking for assistance against illegal fishing, prompting them to conduct a joint operation which led to the arrest of Villaceran, Forrosuelo and their men, after they were caught in the act of engaging in illegal fishing activities.

In behalf of the law enforcers, lawyer Vincent Isles filed separate complaints against Villaceran and 19 of his crew, and Forrosuelo and 18 of his crew before the office of Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba on September 1, 2015.

Villaceran and Forrosuelo claimed that the accusation of illegal fishing hurled against them was meant as a retaliation for the complaint of piracy and serious illegal detention filed against the respondents.

On April 28, 2017, Petralba denied the motion for reconsideration and the motion for re-raffling to another prosecutor filed by Madrigal and Pañares. The same motions filed by Lirasan have already been denied earlier.

Further, the motion for reconsideration filed by Rubio, Rosales, Micarsos, Aneslagon, Conje and Monterde was granted.

“I am thankful nga na-dismiss sila kay ang uban adto wala gyud labot sa dakop, it was a harassment case against namo gikan sa mga ilegalista sa dagat. Ako ra man ang ilang target nga kasohan kay suko kaayo ang mga Villaceran sa akoa kay sige man sila kadakpan ug kini nagpamatuod nga mao gyud ni ang ilang mga abilidad ang pag-ilegal sa kadagatan,” Madrigal said.

Isles, on the other hand, said he filed last Monday a petition for review before the Department of Justice in behalf of the respondents. —/JBB (FREEMAN)