Fisherman held for looting ship wreck drowns
By Tonette Orejas, Ansbert Joaquin Inquirer News Service
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—A fisherman suspected to be part of a group of looters on the wreck of the USS New York in Subic Bay drowned 30 minutes after he jumped off a boat to escape authorities on Thursday, an official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan said.
Three more suspects are still missing and the underwater search for them continued past 5 p.m. Thursday, said Jose Calimlim, SBMA senior deputy administrator for operations.
Calimlim said Ricardo Macalalag, a fisherman from Subic, Zambales, was found dead at 3:10 a.m. Thursday.
Macalalag, who was arrested by an SBMA team, jumped off a patrol boat while he was being questioned by SBMA policemen, Calimlim said.
He identified Macalalag’s missing companions as Jomar Maliwat, Andrew Irabon and Rodelio Antepuesto, all from Subic town.
The SBMA patrol team saw Macalalag, together with another fisherman, Alexander Grateja, at 2:30 a.m. while aboard a motorized banca in the bay’s restricted area.
During the arrest, Calimlim said Grateja admitted three companions were still underwater and were taking artifacts from the sunken ship.
Calimlim said the patrol team recovered brass scraps, pipe handles, copper cable and tubes from the suspects’ boat.
Grateja was turned over to the SBMA intelligence and investigation office.
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—A fisherman suspected to be part of a group of looters on the wreck of the USS New York in Subic Bay drowned 30 minutes after he jumped off a boat to escape authorities on Thursday, an official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan said.
Three more suspects are still missing and the underwater search for them continued past 5 p.m. Thursday, said Jose Calimlim, SBMA senior deputy administrator for operations.
Calimlim said Ricardo Macalalag, a fisherman from Subic, Zambales, was found dead at 3:10 a.m. Thursday.
Macalalag, who was arrested by an SBMA team, jumped off a patrol boat while he was being questioned by SBMA policemen, Calimlim said.
He identified Macalalag’s missing companions as Jomar Maliwat, Andrew Irabon and Rodelio Antepuesto, all from Subic town.
The SBMA patrol team saw Macalalag, together with another fisherman, Alexander Grateja, at 2:30 a.m. while aboard a motorized banca in the bay’s restricted area.
During the arrest, Calimlim said Grateja admitted three companions were still underwater and were taking artifacts from the sunken ship.
Calimlim said the patrol team recovered brass scraps, pipe handles, copper cable and tubes from the suspects’ boat.
Grateja was turned over to the SBMA intelligence and investigation office.
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