SUSPECTS Fidel Aguilar, 59, a resident of Pulong Camias, Barangay San Jose, and Ferdinand Tongol, 46, a resident of Nayong Tsinoy, Barangay San Pablo, both of San Simon town, were arrested for killing four wild ducks in Apalit town.
The arrest was implemented by joint operatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local police of Apalit after the two suspects hunted and killed four wandering whistling duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) locally known as “batiki.”
Police Master Sergeant Eduardo Gonzales said the suspects were nabbed while illegally hunting migratory birds using shotgun in a wetland area in Sitio Tagulod, Barangay Sampaloc in Apalit.
Authorities also seized from the suspects’ possession four dead wandering whistling duck.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (Penro) Laudemir Salac said the operation of the provincial DENR and local police was a follow-up from a report posted on social media from a concerned citizen that illegal bird hunting was prevalent in a wetland portion in Apalit town.
"Barangay Sampaloc, especially Sitio Tagulod, is now becoming a favorite area for bird hunters, since it is a well-known home of many local and migratory birds, including the wild ducks," Salac said, adding that the DENR-Penro has been conducting surveillance operations in the area and other adjacent villages to chase illegal wildlife hunters.
“Hunting and killing of wildlife like the migratory birds are illegal and punishable against our wildlife law. Even in the midst of this pandemic, we remain steadfast in our pursuit to stop illegal hunting of our wildlife," Salac noted.
If found guilty, the suspects may be imprisoned for a maximum of one year and may be fined P100,000.
The suspects are now under the custody of Apalit Municipal Police Station, while criminal charges are being prepared for violation of Section 27 of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources and Conservation and Protection Act of 2001.
The DENR appealed to the public to report to authorities any illegal hunting and wildlife trade through hotline 0945-368-5303.
Earlier, the police and DENR personnel apprehended four suspects for selling a bayawak (Varanus marmoratus) in Guagua town.
Last year, DENR-Pampanga also arrested six suspects for illegal hunting and killing of two bird species of Great egrets in the famous 32,000-hectare Candaba swamp.
According to studies, wandering whistling ducks is one of the migratory birds that frequent the wetland areas of Central Luzon. It is found in northern and eastern Australia, from the Kimberley region, across the north of Australia, to south-eastern New South Wales and also distributed through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Pacific Islands, and usually lives in deep vegetated lagoons and swamps, flooded grasslands, sewerage farms, grain stubbles, pastures, irrigated lands and rice fields.