6 Bantay Dagat volunteers want indictment reversed
At least six members of the Bantay Dagat volunteer group in Bantayan Island who were indicted by the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for slight illegal detention are seeking for reconsideration.
Ti ting Rubio, Danilo Rosales, Junior Micars os Jr ., Onel Anesiagon Sr ., Oscar Conje, and Bobby Monterdewere assisted yesterday by lawyer Mary Joan Dulhaoinfi ling t heir motion for reconsideration.
The respondents were among the 12 members of the Guardian soft he Sealed by former Capitol security consultant Loy Anthony Madrigal indicted by assistant provincial prosecutor Ferdinand Coll ante son November 15,2015 for slight illegal de tenti on.
The case stemmed from the complaint filed by boat captain Donato Villaceran who was arrested last year by the group of Madrigal for alleged illegal fishing in Kinatarcan Island, Santa Fe, Cebu. Villaceran alleged t hat they were heading to Kaongkod, Madridejos when Madrigal and his men intercepted them. He asked Madrigal why they were intercepted but the latter allegedly told him not to complain and introduced himself as Capitol employee.
Villace ran said Madrigal also ordered his men to intercept the boat of Rogelio Forrosuelo which then heading to Hagnaya in San Remigio.
Villa ce ran, F orr osue lo and their crew members were forcibly brought to Barangay Bitoon, Kinatarcan. It was later that day they were released by Madrigal.
Rubio, Rosa les, Micarsos, Anesiagon, Conje, and Monterde said there was no illegal detention to speak of considering that it was a seaborne operation.
“Indeed the operation occurred at roughly around 11:50 a.m. and com plain antsfin ally arrived at the Santa Fe police station at around 6 p.m. However, in the six hours in between, complainant scan not be considered to have been detained as the period from 11:50 am to 6 p.m. is a justifiable period f or a seaborne arrest and transport to the Santa Fe police station ,” reads the motion for re consideration.
According to the respondents, the evidence presented by the complainant is insufficient to warrant a finding of probable cause.