Who got the 'hot' fishes?
Iloilo City -- City Agriculture Office chief Gil Parreñas yesterday (Tuesday) refused to give itemized details on the recipients of two tons of fish, allegedly a caught through dynamite fishing, recently confiscated by the Task Force Snapper which he heads.
The itemized details of recipients is being questioned after the supposed beneficiaries, one of them the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD), complained that their names were included in the list but they never received even just a kilo of fish from the task force. Ms. Rose Sangrador, DSWD social welfare officer 4 denied they have received such fishes from the task force.
There were also informations that part of the confiscated fishes were sold in the market instead of donating it to charitable institutions and jails. Others went to the hands of some people who are not supposed to be on the list of qualified recipients as provided by the law.
Parreñas, chief of the Task Force Snapper said he could not give full details on the distribution list of confiscated fish after the task force has already filed a complaint for violation of Republic Act 8550 or Fisheries Law of the Philippines against Fishing Boat Captain Leodegario Cape and his 17 other crew. The complaint is now with the City Prosecution Office.
Parreñas merely mentioned as recipients the Asilo de Molo, Iloilo City District Jail in Barangay Ungka, Jaro, Western Visayas Medical Center and Balay Dalayunan. He could not however give details as to how many kilos went to each institution.
Contrary to the complaint of the boat's captain and crew, Parreñas confirmed that the fishes were caught through dynamite fishing as shown by its external manifestation.
Cape earlier asked for a reexamination of the fishes before the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The results of the examination is expected to be released today, Wednesday.
Nevertheless, Parreñas said Councilor Ely Estante, chair of the the committee on agriculture of the Sangguniang Panlungsod will conduct an investigation on the alleged questionable list of recipients.
Parreñas assured the complete list of the recipients will be disclosed during the investigation.