DENR cracks down on Pasay resto serving protected wildlife

The exotic fare of a Pasay City restaurant is not that palatable to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The DENR on Wednesday said charges would be filed against the management of Hingyak Delicious Seafood Restaurant after a recent raid found it keeping a stock of snake meat, snake skin, and the chopped-up flesh of soft-shelled turtles.

The restaurant would be cited for violation of the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which prohibits the collection, hunting or possession of wildlife, their by-products and derivatives without proper permit.

DENR National Capital Region Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said around 4.25 kilos of wildlife derivatives were confiscated from the restaurant during the raid conducted on January 30 in response to the request of the TV public service show “Bitag.”

The show’s production team earlier informed the DENR that it had received reports that the restaurant was serving exotic fare, considered by some as aphrodisiacs.

The seized items were turned over to the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) for safekeeping.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the raid should send the message that the government is bent on protecting the country’s wildlife resources.

“The reason we have laws is to put order in our society. Our wildlife law is passed to protect our wildlife resources as they play an important role in sustaining a balanced ecology,” Paje said.

No arrests were made during the January 30 raid, but Tamoria said the restaurant owner would be included in the complaint.

Charges against Hingyak restaurant were being prepared in cooperation with the National Bureau of Investigation, the DENR added.

In June 2010, another restaurant in Pasay City yielded butchered as well as live soft-shelled turtles, including some that had just lain eggs.

A raid then on Nature Hot Pot restaurant on Macapagal Highway revealed that up to 30 soft-shell turtles were killed in its kitchen weekly. Authorities then arrested the restaurant’s manager and cook.