Ajuy police not protectors of illegal fishing operators—Rojas
No, not one from the police force of Ajuy or even its chief is on the take from illegal fishing operators.
This was the curt reply of Ajuy mayor Jett Rojas in reaction to reports that his town police chief, C/Insp. Rubine Grandeza, and some of her men are acting as protectors of illegal fishers operating on the said town.
“I simply find those claims very hard to believe. C/Insp. Grandeza may be one of the more effective police chiefs here in the province of Iloilo. In fact, tama ina s’ya kaistrikta [she’s very strict], so much so that even her mother sometimes get angry with her because of the cases she has filed against illegal fishing operators in our town,” said Rojas during a guest appearance in Serbisyo Publiko over the weekend.
The Ajuy chief executive though admitted that the police are given a share of the fines generated from the apprehension of illegal fishers in their municipality. “Madamu nga kinahanglanon ang amon kapulisan diri, ranging from the maintenance of equipment and materials like gasoline used during operations. That’s why I think it’s but right and proper for them to be receiving a portion of these fines to also support their operations.”
Rojas also debunked allegations that Grandeza and her men sell the catch of illegal fishing operators they apprehend, adding these illegally-caught fish are donated to charity institutions like prison facilities, hospitals and orphanages.
“So, indi ina matuod nga ginabaligya ina [that is not true that they sell these illegally caught fish] with the proceeds from the sale going to the pockets of C/Insp. Grandeza. In my opinion, those reports are outright false and I can personally vouch to the integrity of my town chief of police,” added Rojas.
During the same interview, Rojas expressed sadness that the country’s existing law against illegal fishing has been found to be wanting of teeth, so much so that illegal fishing operators get off the hook quite easily after paying relatively small fines.
“Kon tani, kon ako ang masunod, indi na lang pagbuhi-an dayon ining mga sakayan [If I can only have my way, I would have wanted not to immediately release these fishing boats] which were caught employing illegal methods of fishing even just while the case against them is pending before the courts. Kon amo ina ang himu-on ta, nagapati gid ako nga mauntat naton ang illegal fishing diri sa quinto distrito [If we could only do this, I am fully confident we could immediately put a stop to illegal fishing here in the fifth district],” said Rojas in conclusion.
Serbisyo Publiko, hosted by Iloilo City councilor Perla Zulueta and a panel of legal and media luminaries, is aired live over Sun/Sky Cable and dyLL Radyo ng Bayan every Sunday.