A FEW days after he admitted indulging in pawikan stew in barangay Pasil, Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, Jr., acting chief of the Cebu City Police Office ordered his mean not to patronize the exotic dish.
But before Natu-el’s announcement, some policemen were seen eating “larang pawikan” in Pasil.
Natu-el said the pawikan (sea turtle) issue should first be resolved by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which is mandated by law to protect the endangered marine reptiles.
Senior Inspector Eunil Avergonzado yesterday told reporters that they are waiting for DENR to coordinate with them to conduct an operation.
Under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, anyone who is involved in the selling and trade of pawikan meat shall be imprisoned for two years and is mandated to pay a fine of up to P200,000. The same penalty applies for anyone who eats the meat of the endangered species. A stiffer penalty of four to six years of imprisonment as well as a fine of P500,000 await the person who slaughter pawikan.
“Everybody involved will be liable. This is a penal law. Slaughtering our pawikans is basically the same with killing a human being,” said environment lawyer Benjamin Cabrido. (See related story on page 2)
He said they cannot operate by their own without clearance or authority from te DENR.
Chief Inspector Romeo Santander, chief of City Intelligence Branch (CIB) said thathis men are ready to assist the DENR anytime./Correspondent Chito O. Aragon