SEASHELLS SEIZED
HUNDREDS of seashells, some of them considered endangered species, were seized from a shell exporting firm in barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.
The shells were found ready for export in a warehouse owned by Ruben Yu. The firm is registered in Cebu City as Sea Reina Export Inc.
Members of the Task Force Kalikasan (TFK) of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office inspected the warehouse yesterday afternoon after residents complained of a foul odor coming from the warehouse.
SPO1 Jomar Ybanez said among the shells recovered were helmet (budyong), clamps (takubo) and sea corals such as black sea fan.
A stay-in worker said they knew that the shells found in the warehouse were endangered but they didn’t report it for fear of losing their job. There are more than 30 workers in the warehouse, the worker said.
Randolf Corales of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said they could not determine the worth of the seized shells pending the completion of an inventory.
During the confiscation, Ybañez said Yu promised to go to the warehouse to present permits, but he didn’t appear. /CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA
EX-INMATE KILLED
A 38-YEAR-OLD former inmate was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants in barangay Maslob, Danao City, northern Cebu.
Illegal drugs is being looked into as a possible motive in the killing of Ramil Papan.
Papan was detained in 2010 on drug charges. He was in the illegal drug watch list of the police before he was killed, said PO2 Phil Restauro of the Danao City police station.
Police said Papan was shot dead while sitting on a small bridge past midnight yesterday.
The victim suffered gunshot wounds in the back, nape, left arm and armpit /CORRESPONDENT RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL