QUEZON CITY (PNA) — Charges of serious illegal detention are now being readied against operators of a fishing vessel operating in the South China Sea who held some 300 individuals to conduct the illegal “muro ami”.
Criminal Investigation and Detention Group Police Superintendent Eduardo Ocampo Sr. said they are winding up with the investigation on the incident and pinpointing the owners of M/V San Pio who misled the fishermen into commiting "muro ami."
"We would be filing charges against those who maltreated the fishermen," he said in an interview, during the presentation of the suspects in Quezon City.
Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo said he would also be pushing for a full investigation of the illegal "muro ami" in the Visayas.
In a news conference in Quezon City, Arroyo said the owners of Prime A company, who owns the vessel, has not yet been identified but investigators are closing in on a big business family based in Cebu.
Arroyo said he has also sought the help of Chinese authorities to locate the vessel since it was last known to have operated in the South China sea.
Arroyo helped 13 farm workers to escape their captors by paying for their release. They were recruited by Prime A to fish using their nets.
However, after taking knowledge that the solon was behind the pay-off, Prime A refused to take the money, amounting to P
39,000, and instead released the farm workers and were even returned to their towns.
The farm workers were allegedly whipped if they absent themselves and were not provided with proper sleeping quarters during their journeys to the sea.
Arroyo said he would be giving livelihood projects to the rescued farm workers, all his constituents.
"The problem in our district is that during off season of planting, people has no job. I would be giving them livelihood projects when they return", he said.
Arroyo said he would be sponsoring a bill to stop the illegal "muro ami" and penalize its operators.
