Fisherman killed as cops about to search his house in Misamis Oriental

MANTICAO, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — A fisherman who allegedly fought the police who were about to serve him a search warrant was killed in his house in Barangay Poblacion in this town at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11.

Danny Ardiayon, a resident of Purok 7 in Barangay Poblacion, had been a subject of a search warrant issued by Judge Renato Arroyo of the 10th Municipal Circuit Trial Court for possible violation of Republic Act 9516, or possession and or control of explosives, according to a police captain of the Tracker Team of Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 10, who requested not to be named.

The police captain said his team was about to serve the search warrant in Ardiayon’s house when the latter fought the police. The captain did not elaborate, however, how Ardiayon, 57, fought back since his daughter said he did not have a firearm.

Police claimed to have seized a mixture of chemicals, detonating cords, electrical wires used in making dynamite, and a stick of improvised dynamite during the search in the fisherman’s house.

The RIB-10 said Ardiayon had been known to engage in dynamite fishing, an illegal fishing method.

Authorities also recovered a loaded 38-caliber pistol allegedly owned by Ardiayon and two big packs of suspected crystal meth or “shabu” inside a cigarette box.

Felix Loren, Purok 7 president, said he was preparing his fishing boat some meters away from Ardiayon’s house when he heard five to six gunshots.

“I immediately headed home when I saw the police car parked near Danny’s house,” he said. “The police recognized me and called for help to bring Danny to the hospital. I called the municipal rescue,” Loren said.

“As the one who carried Danny to the multicab, I lifted his shirt as we were on our way to the hospital and found three gunshot wounds on his chest and one gunshot wound each in his arm,” he added.

Ardiayon’s children also said the police intentionally killed their father.

A 20-year old daughter said the whole family was watching television in the living room when the police officers suddenly barged in, telling their father to drop to the ground. The police also told all family members, including their mother, to go out.

“We were hesitant because we were afraid of what they would do to our father. But they pulled us out of there and pushed our mother out the door,” she said.

She said their father did not fight back.

“We could have easily seen him from the window. He did not even own a firearm,” another daughter said.

Ardiayon’s relatives said he was jailed twice in the past for illegal fishing, but he was released just a year ago.

“I did not know he was into dynamite fishing again,” Loren said. “As to the shabu, he was never known to have used it or sold it,” he added.

— Divina M. Suson

/atm