Saturday, December 08, 2007 Lapu orders probe on dynamite blast
THE Lapu-Lapu City Government ordered an investigation on how a fisherman carrying a homemade dynamite was in the supposedly guarded waters of Olango Island last Wednesday morning.
Vice Mayor Mario Amores said that in Barangay San Vicente alone, there are five fish wardens who monitor the barangay seawaters especially on its marine sanctuary.
“Nahilom naman intawon na oy. Ang makapaguol pa gyud aning hitaboa kay ning bag-o lang dunay 50 ka mga volunteers nga ni gradwar pagka fish wardens (What is sad is that just recently, 50 volunteers graduated as fish wardens),” he said.
Last Wednesday, Ebon Geronco was killed when the dynamite exploded before he could toss it into the water. The explosion injured his 12-year-old son and tore their small boat.
Amores said that last Nov. 27 to 29, the city hosted a seminar and training for the 50 volunteers aspiring to be fish wardens. After graduation, the World Wild Fund for Nature gave them a motor boat.
Report
He said the investigation will be handled by the San Vicente’s Barangay Fish and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC), which is to submit a report anytime next week.
The incident belies claim of city officials that there’s no longer dynamite fishing in the area.
Sanctuary
Even Edilberta Eyas, the community development assistant coordinator of Olango Bird Sanctuary, said there are still illegal fishing in Olango waters, although much less now compared to the time when there was no CFARMC yet.
Amores said the investigation will also try to find out where Geronco got his supply of black powder and the wick because since the illegal manufacturer of wicks for dynamite in Talisay City was raided by people from Bantay Dagat, supply of wicks dropped and its sale by authorized manufacturer is regulated. (AIV)
