ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) arrested a skipper and security officer of a fishing boat for illegal possession of firearms on Thursday night in offshore Jolo, Sulu, a PCG official announced Friday.
Lt. Commander Alvin Dagalea, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, identified them as Archer Masicampo and Wilfredo Bihante.
Masicampo is the skipper of F/B Orlando 2 while Bihante is the security officer. The fishing boat originated from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur.
Dagalea said the PCG personnel aboard BRP-Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) were conducting security patrol when they spotted F/B Orlando 2 shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday on the Sulu Sea.
Dagalea said BRP-Malabrigo maneuvered and accosted F/B Orlando 2 when it got no reply to the radio call sent to the fishing boat.
“They even tried to ram our vessel,” Dagalea said.
Masicampo denied this, saying his pilot got rattled upon seeing the approaching coastguard vessel.
“He rattled while steering the boat and doesn’t know where to direct the vessel,” Masicampo said, adding he was asleep at that time while they were sailing to Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
He said his crew failed to reply to the Coast Guard’s call since they don’t have a marine band although they were equipped with radio communication set.
Dagalea said the fishing boat manned by Masicampo and Bihante’s crew were towed to this city.
Dagalea said they discovered the firearms when the K9 unit of his command boarded and inspected F/B Orlando 2 on Friday morning.
The firearms consisted of an M-16 Armalite rifle with attached M-203 grenade launcher, an M-14 rifle, and a Browning Automatic Rifle with several ammunition which were all undocumented.
Bihante said the owner of F/B Orlando 2 provided them the firearms to be used to protect themselves from pirates while fishing at sea.
Dagalea said only Masicampo and Bihante were arrested since “by command responsibility” they were the ones responsible, being the key officers aboard the fishing boat. (PNA)
