Escalante: There have been reports of dynamite fishing in the area
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Nearly P75,000 worth of sardines, locally referred to as ‘tuloy,’ believed to have been culled as a result of blast fishing, or dynamite fishing, were recovered over the weekend in Cadiz City. According to authorities, the seizure resulted in the arrest of seven individuals.
Cadiz City police identified the arrested as Arman Ardeza, Erwin Gumboc, Elmer Briones, Danilo Polines, Jr., Hendreson Estoya, Renald Pechera, and Aladino Ofril.
Cadiz City police chief, Police Major Robert Mansueto, said, on Saturday evening, they were conducting a police checkpoint in the city’s Barangay Tinampa-an when they flagged down two mini trucks. Cops grew suspicious when the seven suspects failed to present permits to transport the fish, prompting them to conduct further questioning.
Personnel from the Office of the City Agriculturist later arrived to examine and catch and determined the fish had been “dynamited.”
Meanwhile, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. said they had been receiving reports of blast fishing in the area, noting, the suspects are “small players” that are backed by “financiers.”
All seven face charges in violation of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 and are presently detained at the Cadiz City Police Station.
Section 88 of RA 8550, or The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, indicates fishing with the use of explosives is unlawful. Violators face a range of punishments, including up to 10 years in jail, for the possession of explosives intended for blast fishing, using the said explosives, or the sale of fish gathered through such methods./DGB, WDJ