SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Alert village officials and police operatives here were able to rescue four fishermen on board an alleged ill-fated fishing banca during the height of typhoon “Pepeng” in Barangay Ilocanos Sur, this city, recently.

The successful rescue of the embattled fishermen was effected with the timely intervention of barangay tanod (village watchman) Jolito Medriano, chief watchman of Barangay Ilocanos Sur who sought assistance from authorities to save the fishermen from the rough seas.

Supt. Pedro Obaldo Jr., chief of police of the San Fernando City police office, identified the rescued fishermen as Armando Dilozo Dicino, 26, married; Gilbert Balagot Trisino, 19, single; Ronaldo Repuya Calongje, 19, single; and Alex Espino, 25, married, all residents of San Manuel, Agoo, La Union.

Despite the repeated advisories from concerned government officials that fishermen should refrain from going out to the rough seas because of the wrath of typhoon “Pepeng,” the fishermen reportedly went on fishing and boarded their banca in the vicinity of San Manuel in Agoo.

However, their fishing banca reportedly encountered mechanical trouble while they were in the middle of the sea as strong winds and heavy rains of typhoon “Pepeng” prevailed over the past several days.

According to Obaldo, the fishermen never lost hope in trying to maneuver their banca.