2 nabbed, ammonium nitrate seized

CEBU, Philippines — Two persons were arrested and two kilos of ammonium nitrate were seized as operatives in Central Visayas launched operation against illegal fishing in the two islands of Cebu Province.

The operation was called Oplan Alon and carried out by operatives from Police Regional Office-7, Philippine Coast Guard (PSG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

 They conducted seaborne patrol and served search warrants against personalities believed to be involved in illegal fishing.

Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, PRO-7 regional director, said that they launched the Oplan Alon after receiving numerous reports about dynamite fishing.

"Rampant reports of illegal fishing activities in target areas that threaten to destroy the food and livelihood security of the local community that will ultimately lead to destruction of the environment and economic/livelihood of the people which further lead them to poverty and their associations to insurgency activities," Sinas said in a press statement.

In Madridejos, two fishermen were nabbed after being caught having improvised explosive devices.

Operatives searched in the house of a certain Wilson Saysis, 50, in sitio Villagonzalo, Barangay Mancilang.

The search warrant was signed by Judge Ruben Altubar of Regional Trial Court 29 of Toledo City.

Seized from him were two kilos ammonium nitrate, nine pieces piston and six matches.

These are some of the materials needed to make an improvised explosive device used in illegal fishing.

"Dili ra ni pang konsumo lang niya, ipamaligya sad ni niya ang uban sa mga mangisdaay sad diha," an intelligence officer told THE FREEMAN.

He said that Saysis was previously arrested in 2017 for illegal fishing.

In Sitio Pabrika, Barangay Kangwayan, they arrested Ephraim Villaruel Dela Cruz, 80, for possession of two bottles of IED.

The combined forces also conducted seaborne patrolling in other coastal municipalities of Santa Fe, Daan Bantayan, Medellin, San Remegio, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela and Pilar. (FREEMAN)