DENR honors wildlife crime fighters

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recognized recently 62 individuals, mostly soldiers and policemen, for their dedication in fighting wildlife crimes at the first-ever POGI Enforcement Awards held in Quezon City. 

POGI stands for Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade, a multisectoral group organized by the DENR to combat wildlife poaching and illegal trade, particularly endangered species.

DENR undersecretary and head of POGI Ernesto Adobo, together with Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) director Theresa Mundita Lim and DENR-National Capital Region technical director Donna Gordove, presented the awards to 59 personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (PNP), one barangay chairman and two concerned citizens during simple rites at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center. 

Adobo cited the awardees’ remarkable contribution to five successful wildlife rescue operations conducted by the DENR in 2013. 

He said that the DENR has, over the years, been continuously upgrading the techniques to control illegal wildlife trade, but the formation this year of POGI proved to be a “breakthrough” in the country’s wildlife enforcement. 

“Since POGI was formed in June of this year, the active synchronization of enforcement personnel has led to a significant curtailment of illegal activities on wildlife throughout the country,” Adobo stressed in his speech read by DENR assistant secretary Rommel Abesamis. 

PAWB director Lim likewise acknowledged the importance of inter-agency collaboration in wildlife enforcement.  “Wildlife enforcement can only be strengthened if we collaborate with our local enforcement agencies,” Lim pointed out. “The POGI Awards is our way of thanking these agencies for extending their support to our operations whenever we need their assistance.” 

She added, “It is also a way for us to encourage them to help us sustain our activities so that the public will also know how serious we are in curbing the illegal wildlife trade, in order to protect what is left of our flora and fauna, especially the endemic ones, for future generations to enjoy.”

 Among the award recipients were members of the POGI team that conducted the July 3 raid on a house in Tondo, Manila which yielded 109 threatened wildlife species – 78 hill mynas, 12 blue-naped parrots, five saltwater crocodiles, and 14 forest turtles. 

Only the turtles were rescued alive, while the others were found dead. Criminal complaints have been filed against the owner of the house and his cohorts. 

Each of the raiding team members received a bronze medal from the DENR. They were Police Superintendent Roderick Mariano, Special Police Officer (SPO) 2 Felimon Alimbon Jr., Police Officer (PO) 3 Conrado de Jesus, PO 1 Jerrikson Tan, PO2 Ryan Chris Noriega, PO2 Rhobbie Reyes, PO1 Marlito Daya, and SPO1 Marvin Velasquez, all from the Jose Abad Santos Police Station. 

The department also recognized chairman Inocencio Villanueva of Barangay 230 in Tondo for his assistance. 

Also recognized were members of the POGI team that arrested four persons and seized 178 heads of threatened Palawan species during an operation in Lucena, Quezon.

Bronze medals were given to Chief Inspector Job Llanora de Mesa, Inspector Neptali Reyes Mendoza, SPO4 Ramon Pagulayan, PO2 Pario Erico Manicad, PO2 Septer Ebasco, PO2 Reynaldo Dumondon, PO1 Peter Ferlin Forcadela, PO1 Rodelio Cabile, PO1 Rachel Casas, PO1 Gemma Marqueses, PO3 Melvin Ruedas, and PO3 Roel Rondilla, all of the Quezon Provincial Public Safety Company.

 Lucena City Police personnel Supt. Allen Rae Co, PO3 Miljun Magadia, PO3 Jefferson Tamaray, SPO3 Nestor Lumanglas, SPO2 Michael Subrito, and SPO1 Randy Pastorfide also received bronze medals for their participation in the operation. 

Private citizens Jose Abarquez of the Lucena Fishing Port and Ricky Bernales were likewise recognized for their respective roles in the rescue and transport of the confiscated wildlife. 

Bronze medals were also handed out to the following AFP and PNP officers for spearheading the confiscation of five monitor lizards and one cloud rat, all threatened species, in Batangas City on November 10: Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Villareal, Staff Sergeant Edilberto Gonzales and Air Traffic Controller Giovanni Eclaves of the Philippine Air Force; and Chief Insp. Oliver Basco Ebora, Insp. Richard Zara de Guzman, SPO1 Nelson Flores, PO3 Doji Garcia, and PO1 Michael Lasi of the San Jose Police Station. 

The DENR awarded Air Force Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz of the Office of the AFP Commanding General in Villamor Air Base a silver medal for assisting in the transport of a saltwater crocodile from Zamboanga City to Manila in January, as well as four freshwater and two saltwater crocodiles from the PAWB to Puerto Princesa City in September. The crocodiles were transported onboard a C-130 plane. 

In the same awarding ceremony, 17 officers of the PNP-Maritime Group Special Boat Unit received medals for being instrumental in the apprehension of wildlife smugglers in two separate operations in Palawan province. 

The first operation on October 18 led to the confiscation of 294 marine turtles and the arrest of 13 Vietnamese nationals. The second one involves the arrest of two Malaysian fishermen who were caught trying to smuggle out 9,228 marine turtle eggs, two sacks of marine turtle meat and three sacks of sea calm meat on Nov. 3.

Marine officers awarded bronze medals for their participation in one of the operations were PO2 Rolly Buncag, PO2 Julius Aguanta, PO2 Ronil Dago, PO2 Samuel Olea, PO2 Dem Jose Sabbaluca, PO1 Marcelo Agao, PO2 Raymund Oblian, PO1 Aljaymar Estremos, PO1 John Rey Zumaraga, PO1 Frederick Orquijo. 

Those who were given silver medals for taking part in both operations in Palawan were Supt. Osmundo Salibo, Insp. Hurdan Bacalanco, SPO3 Donil Maquirang, PO2 Philip Katon, PO1 Remigio Mape, PO1 Jose Dexter Maranan, and PO1 Reynaldo Jaminden. 

Also recognized for their efforts leading to the confiscation of 34 hawksbill turtles at the seawaters of Sitangkai, Sipangkot and Sibuyo islands in Tawi-tawi province on November 5 were members of the Regional Maritime Unit of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), namely:  PSupt. Frederick Mead, PINSP. Samuel Lim, SPO2 Richard Marquez, PO2 Warren dela Cruz, PO2 Basil Iserail, PO1 Aaron Tinonas, and PO1 Orlando Lacamba. 

The creation of the POGI forms part of the country’s action plan submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in certain wildlife species to ensure that it does not threaten their survival. 

Initially aimed at reducing the illegal ivory trade in the Philippines, the functions of the POGI team have been expanded to include other endangered plants and animals. 

Aside from the DENR and PNP, also included in the group are the National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Customs, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.