One thing that is important to remember about this whole saga is that, contrary to what people in Gingoog might want you to believe, this really isn't about one boat fishing where it should not have been. This is a fishing territory war between the fishermen (and their bosses) who operate out of Gingoog Bay, and the fishermen (and their bosses) who operate out of neighboring Macajalar Bay (of which Jasaan is one of the biggest ports).
Doubt it? Then check out this bit of news from Randy:
For several months, Jasaan has had a temporary police chief, filling the spot until a permanent replacement could be found. This fellow is planning on retiring soon, so at the end of last week he was moved off to police headquarters for his quietus, and another senior officer was found to take his place as Chief of Police here in Jasaan.
This new police chief just happens to be from Gingoog.
Last night, 4 days after taking the job, this police chief apparently went out on Macajalar Bay in a police auxillary boat and arrested 3 Jasaan fishing boat captains for illegal fishing and threw them in the Jasaan jail. These boat captains at the time were allegedly all asleep on their boats, engines off, nets out of the water, drifting, waiting for a call from the other boats in the fleet that were out searching for fish. They apparently were released from jail by a very suprised and embarassed local BFAR (Bureau Of Fisheries And Aquatic Resources) director this morning.
Obviously, the local boat owners are pretty upset about the whole thing. A WTF meeting with the presumably-unaware-and-uninvolved Mayor Jardin is probably going to be coming up today or tomorrow.
In other news, Randy was telling me last night how even the "doctored" coordinates that claim Randy's boat was fishing in Gingoog waters prove he is innocent.
Although munincipal waters stretch out from the cost for 15 kilometers, Gingoog does not have a 15 kilometer stretch of water. Gingoog is at the bottom of the U-shaped Gingoog bay, which is also bordered by the munincipalities of Medina on the left side of the "U", and Magsaysay on the right. Based on the official maps, the 3 towns' respective waters form sort of a "Mercedes Benz logo" in the middle of the bay, with the lower triangle (which is much less than 15 kilometers in extent) belonging to Gingoog. The Navy's record shows Randy's boat was apprehended in what is officially Magsaysay waters in the right-upper triangle. (For the record, Randy claims that his boat was further northwest in open waters, and claims that his GPS proves his point.)
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