Three fishermen were injured in an alleged strafing incident in the territorial waters of Toboso, Negros Occidental, Saturday.

Inspector Romeo Leyte, Toboso police chief, yesterday identified the injured fishermen as Nemesio Dupla, Geovannie Dacumos and Richard Dongcol of Brgy. Pundo, Balamban, Cebu.

A police investigation report said that the injured fishermen, with three other companions identified as Carlos Panilag, a certain Nemesio and Rusper, were caught in the act of illegal fishing by members of the Toboso Bantay Dagat led by Salamanca Brgy. Capt. Eriberto Baynosa at about 2 a.m. of Jan 28. Leyte said the six fishermen who were on board a fishing boat, escaped towards the territorial waters of Escalante, ignoring the pursuing Bantay Dagat members.

This prompted the Bantay Dagat members to fire warning shots, which accidentally hit the three fishermen, the police investigation report said.

Dacumos was hit on the right leg, Dupla on his both feet, while Dongcol sustained gunshot wounds on both legs and his right foot, records at the CLMMRH showed. Leyte said the unabated illegal fishing activities by fishermen from Cebu in the territorial waters of Toboso have prompted the municipal government to step up its campaign against violators.

The fishermen usually use poisonous substance or homemade explosives, aside from using fine fish nets, to catch fish in the Toboso territorial waters, he said.

Leyte admitted he has difficulty gathering data from Baynosa and the other Bantay Dagat members who were tightlipped about the incident.

Leyte said the fishing boat of the injured fishermen was nowhere to be found as of yesterday.

Last year, 105 fishermen were arrested and charged in court, while 43 fishing boats were impounded for illegal fishing in Negros Occidental.*GPB

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