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PAGADIAN CITY, Zambo del Sur (July 14, MPF-News) – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had testified in court during the first hearing recently regarding the case filed against the suspect of illegally traded stalactites and other prohibited wildlife products, DENR Offricials said.
Several Stalactites confiscated by the raiding team |
PAGADIAN CITY, Zambo del Sur (July 14, MPF-News) – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had testified in court during the first hearing recently regarding the case filed against the suspect of illegally traded stalactites and other prohibited wildlife products, DENR Offricials said.
DENR-IX Regional Director Arleigh J. Adorable said
Friday the filing of the case was the result of a buy-bust operation led by DENR
Undersecretary Ernesto D. Adobo, Jr., Chairman of the Philippine Operation
Group on Ivory and other wildlife (POGI),
was conducted by the DENR in coordination with the NBI, the Army’s 53rd
Infantry Battalion, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
personnel.
275
pieces of different coral species which includes
precious and rare black & red
corals, triton, nautilus
and several giant clam species
|
RD Adorable said the raid was successfully done which
resulted in the seizure of illegally traded stalactites and other prohibited
wildlife products and leading to the arrest of one suspect in this city last
June 25, 2014.
RD Adorable also said that the said operation was
initiated by virtue of a search warrant
dated June 24, 2014 issued by Judge Catherine C. Fabian for violation of Republic Act 9072 or
“Cave Act of 2001”.
The suspect was identified as Mr. Earl Frederick P.
Galupo alias Epoy of Barangay Lumbia, Pagadian City.
RD Adorable added that the operation was a result of
almost three months joint in-depth investigation and surveillance conducted by
DENR and the NBI.
DENR-IX Regional Director lauded the efforts of the
Protected Areas Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services (PAWCZMS) under
Regional Technical Director Gil T. Ona for initiating the crucial steps to
ensure the success of the operation.
He said in the investigations revealed that
stalactites and corals are being traded on-line through www.sulit.com.ph now renamed as www.olx.ph where the suspect allegedly
posted “natural stalactites for sale” signs in his facebook account to include photos of Hawksbill turtle
carapace, a critically endangered wildlife which he intends to sell.
Allegedly, the suspect is part of a group with a large
scale distribution network as evidenced by the presence of other warehouses in
other parts of the country and business operations that reach as far as Japan and other countries, he
added.
The raiding team was able to confiscate from the suspect’s
residence cum warehouse 30 pieces of stalactites, 2 pieces carapace frame of
Hawksbill turtles, 29 pcs Hawksbill scutes,
275 pieces of different coral
species which includes precious and rare black & red corals, triton,
nautilus and several giant clam species.
The suspect was charged in court for violations of
Republic Act 9072 also known as the National Caves and Cave Resources
Management and Protection Act, Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as the
Wildlife Protection and Conservation Act and Republic Act 8550 or the
Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.
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