A motorboat illegally operating inside a protected no-fishing zone in Batad town was intercepted and seized, exposing yet another case of destructive “siklob” fishing that authorities say is harming Iloilo’s already pressured coastal ecosystems. The 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company’s Bantay Dagat Task Force caught the vessel F/B VIRGO around 10:30 p.m. of Dec. 8 while conducting a routine seaborne patrol off Barangay Salvador. Police Major John Salvador Bello’s team flagged down the boat after observing activity inside a restricted area — an offense prohibited under local ordinances meant to safeguard marine life and spawning grounds.

Galigao, N. N. (2025, December 13). Bantay Dagat stops illegal ‘siklob’ fishing in Batad. Panay News, pp. 2, 15.