Fossilized giant clams worth P28 million seized

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Seven tons of fossilized giant clams worth P28 million were seized by authorities at Hacienda Juliana, Barangay Washington, Escalante City, Negros Occidental on Aug 2, 2019.

The confiscation of the clams came after the police and the local government unit received a report about the endangered clams left at the house of Jasper Bacaron.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Necerato Sabando Jr., Escalante City police chief, along with Marian Jill Abeto, provincial director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and Executive Assistant IV Rolyn Cabus went to the house of Bacaron for an inspection.

During the inspection, Bacaron told authorities that the clams were owned by a certain Nexon Aurelio of Barangay Vito, Sagay City, who is still at-large, a report from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) indicated.

The recovered endangered species were transported to BFAR Provincial Fishery Office of Negros Occidental here for custody and safekeeping.

Section 102 of Republic Act 10654 (Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998) outlaws fishing or taking of rare, threatened or endangered species.

In April this year, 1.5 tons of fossilized giant clams worth P5 million were also recovered in Sagay City.