Birds saved from illegal traders in Bulacan

Some of the birds seized in Bocaue town in Bulacan province are endangered species believed to be taken from the Sierra Madre mountains. —PHOTO COURTESY OF DENR CENTRAL LUZON

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A total of 114 birds, including endangered species, were seized from six men who tried to sell these at a public market in Bocaue town in Bulacan province, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Tuesday.

The DENR recovered a blue-nape parrot, a Palawan hill myna, budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds, sparrows, munias and ring-necked doves in a sting operation by the National Bureau of Investigation last week.

The NBI detained Alexander dela Cruz, Demetrio Garcia and Valentino Dimarucut from Bulacan; Ronie Durrango and Luisito Pangilinan from Nueva Ecija province; and Divino Chumacera from Bataan province, according to Francisco Milla Jr., DENR Central Luzon director.

Roger Encarnacion, DENR community environment and natural resources officer, said the suspects had no authority to collect, possess, transport or trade wildlife species.

Parrots and mynas are listed as endangered in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Illegal possession and trading of endangered species are in violation of Republic Act No. 9147, also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

Violators can be jailed for two years and fined P200,000. The trade of other wildlife species has a maximum penalty of one month in jail and fine of up to P20,000.

More than P73,000 were recovered from the suspects. A criminal complaint was filed against them in the prosecutor’s office in the City of Malolos.

The DENR did not say where the birds were sourced but it was believed these were taken from the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in western Central Luzon and mountains in Bataan south of the region.

Milla said the birds were turned over to the DENR Wildlife Rescue Center in Quezon City.

Since 2015, the DENR Central Luzon office has seized 34 species of reticulated pythons, long-tailed macaques, pond turtles, seahawks, monitor lizards and owls. —TONETTE OREJAS