Man nabbed for alleged illegal wildlife trade in Bacolod

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — A 65-year-old man is facing charges for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, for allegedly selling wildlife from his home in Barangay 30 here on Thursday.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Negros Occidental and Bacolod filed the criminal complaint before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, a day after an entrapment operation was conducted against a man identified only as “Ancheto.”

Police Maj. Christopher Dulagan, CIDG-Bacolod and Negros Occidental head, said the operation stemmed from intelligence information that the suspect was allegedly engaged in the illegal possession and trading or sale of wildlife.

The operation resulted in the confiscation of two green parrots, five Philippine serpent eagles, two coleto birds, eight birds locally identified as “Martanico,” one grass owl, and a local bird known as “sagaksak,” with the wildlife valued at PHP 200,000.

Police also seized 11 bird cages and PHP 70,500 in boodle money.

During the transaction, the suspect allowed a police agent to inspect the animals at his residence, leading to their recovery.

Dulagan said police had monitored the suspect since last month.

He added that the suspect reportedly sold the animals only to common friends.

Dulagan said the serpent eagles and owl had no established market value because they were not normally sold, while the market prices of the other species were subject to validation.

He said the recovered animals are protected wildlife and that their possession, transport, or trade requires appropriate permits.

Dulagan said the suspect was reluctant to provide police with information about the source of the animals and the extent of his alleged activities.

The recovered animals were turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Bago City, Negros Occidental, for safekeeping.

Republic Act No. 9147 regulates the collection, possession, transport, and trade of wildlife and seeks to conserve wildlife species and their habitats.