BFAR, TF Snapper fish examinations have conflicting results
Jose Gil Parreñas of the City Agriculture Office has a lot of explaining to do these days.
After all the hullabaloo and media frenzy generated by the "high-profile" illegal fishing arrest of the city's Task Force Snapper and questionable distribution of seized fish to alleged charitable institutions, laboratory results cleared one Negros Occidental-based fishing crew.
As such, contrary to earlier findings and physical validation made by the arresting group, no less than the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) here ruled - the fish catch of F/B Elmer Dos were not courtesy of blast fishing.
A victory for fishing boat captain Leodegario Cape who has since brought his plight to the media while seeking for an independent analysis of F/B Elmer Dos' catch of over two tons.
The BFAR scientific examination report obtained by The News Today showed, the fish samples did not bore traces of explosives.
The fish samples taken by a team of fish examiners from the bureau include four pieces of lison, six pieces of maya-maya, two pieces of barracuda and two pieces of bisugo. Fish samples were still fresh when examined.
The same report also showed that there were no signs of blood effusion at the basal portion of the fins and the abdominal area and scales were intact. There was also no sign of dislocations at the mid-portion of the fish's body length, a common characteristic of dynamited fish.
Internal manifestations of the fish samples showed, the air bladder were not ruptured and its internal organs were still intact.
There was also no sign of hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity and intestines and absence of broken or fractured bones at the mid-portion of the vertebral column were noted on the fish samples. The abdominal ribs of the fish were also intact.
Meanwhile, the fish examination report made by the City Agriculture Office through its fish examiner Romulo Pangantihon showed an entirely different result.
Its report said, the "fish samples show manifestation that the fish were positively caught with the use of explosives."
The agriculture office which spearheads the Task Force Snapper used two pieces of lison and one piece of managat in their examination.
In the external manifestations of the fish samples, the examiner found out that there was a "reddening of the eye and blood is oozing in the opercular opening" of the fish samples.
The fish samples also showed ruptured bladder, crushed internal organs mixed with blood and its vertebral columns are broken with blood stains in its internal manifestations.
Ironically, all of the fish samples used by the bureau and the task force were taken from the 2,000 kilos confiscated by the members of the Task Force Snapper last March 17, 2006.
BFAR's team of fish examiners led by Edwin Javier conducted the examination in response to the letter-request of City Prosecutor Kenneth John Amamanglon. The three other fish examiners were Emmanuel Lobredo, Cipriano Matutino and Alberto Dalen.
Task Force Snapper apprehended last Friday nine of the 17-man crew of said fishing boat, moments after the crew docked at the Iloilo Fishing Port Complex. The others were out swimming when the arresting team came on board, had a look at the crew's fish load and decided right there and then that what they had were illegally caught. Charges were simultaneously filed before the Iloilo City Prosecutor's Office.
Cape who was at a loss on what to do and where to go called for intervention. The dynamite fishing charge was strongly denied as he offered to have each and every fish on board to be cut open and verified for any dynamite or explosive traces.
F/B Elmer Dos was out at sea for 30 days, shorter than their usual trips due to big waves encountered and not enough food supplies for the crew on board. Cape said he has been in this business for over 38 years and swears not to have engaged in illegal fishing so much so dynamite fishing.