The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed Tuesday, Oct. 4, that four Vietnamese fishermen have been apprehended by authorities after they were allegedly caught in the act of using sodium cyanide, a poisonous compound, in their fishing activities off Pag-asa (Thitu) Island.
The PCG said that the Vietnamese fishermen, whose identities were not made public, were arrested in the vicinity waters off Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan, Palawan last Sept. 18 by joint forces of the PCG Station Kalayaan, Philippine Navy (PN), and Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-MG).
The joint maritime law enforcement team also intercepted the fishing vessel used by the Vietnamese locally known as "sampan" which was equipped with a compressor. Sampan is a small boat commonly used in East Asia typically with an oar at the stern.
"The fishermen were informed that they violated Sections 91 (poaching in Philippine waters) and 92 (fishing through explosives, noxious or poisonous substance, or electricity) of Republic Act No. 10654 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998," the PCG said.
The fishermen were also subjected to a panoramix examination and authorities confirmed that one of them is a minor, "specifically around 16 to 18 years old," the PCG added.
As of Monday, Oct. 3, the fishermen remained under the custody of the PCG District Palawan for further investigation and proper disposition.
Pagasa Island is the largest of the Philippine-administered islands in the Kalayaan Island Group or Spratly Islands. It is located about 230 nautical miles from Palawan. A small Filipino fishing community resides on the island.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deployed a military contingent stationed on the island to protect it and the residents from illegal fishers and other hostile forces.