CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The seven endangered and vulnerable mammals which were attempted smuggled out of the country via the Clark Freeport were turned over recently to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here after a successful operation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Central Luzon.
Earlier, the NBI identified the suspect as Peimin Zhang, was caught in possession of four Pangolins and three Palawan Cobras, which are both under the “Red List” of animals threatened with extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The wildlife were found inside the suspect’s Mitsubishi Grandis with plate number ZHG-475 bound to Tarlac.
According NBI Director Ricardo Diaz, they received a tip from unidentified informant of the planned transport of the mammals and they immediately coordinated with the Clark Development security police.
He said that the security personnel successfully intercepted the wildlife contraband at the Manuel A. Roxas Avenue-Yokohama intersection where they found a box containing a sack of cobras and pangolins.
Diaz said Peimin failed to show legal documents that will justify the transport and ownership of the wildlife species.
Upon verification from the DENR regional office, Peimin was found out as a non-holder of certificate of wildlife registration, wildlife permit and wildlife collectors permit or any other wildlife permit.
Wildlife experts from the DENR said that Pangolin is classified as vulnerable species under the list of terrestrial threatened species stipulated in the DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-15.
It has become one of the most illegally traded animals in Southeast Asia, with live pangolins fetching up to $1,000 (P46,000) in the black market. Its meat is valued at $300 (P13,800) per kilogram, while its scales are traded at a price of $3,000 (P138,000) per kilogram.
A report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature stated that “China has a long history of consuming pangolin as meat and in traditional medicine”. The report added that “due to continual demand and the decreasing Chinese wild population, in the past few years pangolin smuggling from Southeast Asia has resulted in great declines in these producing countries’ wild populations, as well.”
“Pangolins are not endemic to Central Luzon and neither are these cobras. It is possible that these animals may have been smuggled from Palawan, where both species are found natively”, explained Fred Sadueste, wildlife enforcement chief of DENR.
The DENR and NBI are now preparing to file criminal charges against Peimin for violation of sections 27 and 28 of Republic Act (RA) 9147 also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation Act
DENR Regional Diurector Francisco Milla Jr., said that under the law, collection of wildlife can carry a sentence of imprisonment of six months and one day to one year and a fine of P10,000 to P100,000, if inflicted or undertaken against vulnerable species.
“Pangolins by nature have no teeth, so the law has to have teeth to protect these animals. Rest assured, the DENR will continue to keep constant vigilance and ensure that our Philippine wildlife remain protected and safe,” he said.
He urged the public to report to the nearest DENR office or law enforcement agency of suspected illegal wildlife trade.
The confiscated cobras and pangolins will be transferred to a suitable wildlife rescue facility where they will be treated and cared for until they are fit to be released back into the wild.
Last year’s massive information campaign on wildlife protection and conservation by the DENR resulted in the surrender of 21 pieces of wildlife, consisting of reticulated pythons, long-tailed macaques, pond turtles and owls.