Batad exec rebuts Bantay Dagat chief
Mayor Pedro Alarcon of Batad, Iloilo denied the allegations made by Bantay Dagat chief Reynaldo Villa that the team composed of policemen and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel had a drinking spree at his residence before conducting the operation to take the two fishing boats which was under Villa's custody last November 7, 2006.
Alarcon told The News Today that Villa's testimonies made to Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. were full of lies.
The Provincial Legal Office last week filed administrative charges against the personnel of Batad and Estancia PNP and NBI personnel involved in the controversial operation, based on Villa's testimonies.
Villa earlier alleged that said law enforcers forcibly took fishing boats Fanny Cresa and Fanny Berel, impounded by the Bantay Dagat about a month ago after having been caught for illegal fishing off the waters of Concepcion.
Six members of the Batad PNP including its chief Insp. Alex Puentevella were among the respondents in the administrative case.
Said cops filed their counter-affidavits Friday at the Provincial Prosecutor's Office strongly denying Villa's allegations.
Alarcon, who assisted the policemen in the filing of their counter-affidavits, said Puentevella even claimed that only PO3 Gilbert Sorongon and himself joined the operation. He said Puentevella told him that the four other Batad policemen included as respondents were not part of the group.
Sorongon was identified by Villa as the one who pointed a gun at him and his son which the former denied in their counter-affidavit.
Alarcon said Puentevella even told him that one cop included as respondent in the administrative case was also not on the scene as he was on seaborne patrol when the incident happened.
Alarcon said, members of the Batad PNP are contemplating to file charges of perjury against Villa.
Meanwhile, Alarcon said that he does not recognize Villa as a Bantay Dagat of Batad.
He said Governor Tupas appointed him without even consulting the officials of their municipality.
Alarcon said he has his own municipal Bantay Dagat that keeps an eye against illegal fishing activities in their municipal waters.
The mayor even criticized Villa as not fit for the position being non-educated.
Villa in a press conference the other week at the provincial capitol claimed that personnel from the Batad and Estancia PNP and the NBI forcibly took the two fishing vessels owned by a certain Connie Medelo of Roxas City without the necessary papers.
Tupas earlier said that the incident was an insult to his administration's campaign against illegal fishing.