‘Wildlife trafficker’ nabbed while transporting parrots, cockatoo in Palawan

Philippine cockatoo. INQUIRER.net STOCK IMAGE

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — A suspected wildlife trafficker was arrested Sunday while transporting five blue-naped parrots (Tanygnathus lucionensis), locally called “pikoy,” and a juvenile Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) or “katala” in Bataraza town in Palawan province.

Suspect Exzolito Siggit, 31, and a resident of Barangay (village) Tagnato, Bataraza, was collared at 7:30 p.m. in Sitio (sub-village) Kayasyasan in Barangay Rio Tuba, said Police Colonel Greg Togonon, chief of the 2nd Special Operations Unit Maritime Group in Palawan.

He was arrested for violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Conservation and Protection of Wildlife Resources Act.

“We are warning anyone who will engage in this illegal gathering and selling of protected wildlife species to stop because we will arrest them and make them responsible,” Togonon said.

The birds were eventually turned over to wildlife authorities. /kga