Probe of P670-M missing elephant tusks sought

MANILA, Philippines - A party-list congressman is seeking an investigation into the disappearance of seized elephant tusks estimated to be worth more than P670 million.

Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe said yesterday he has a resolution ready for filing when the 16th Congress convenes on July 22, urging his colleagues to inquire into the “mystery” of the missing tusks.

He said the Bureau of Customs had seized 13 tons of elephant tusks between 1996 and 2009 but only five tons had been turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“There are eight tons unaccounted for. We want to find out what happened to the eight tons that are missing, who are responsible for the disappearance of most of the tusks,” he said.

DENR officials put the value of the five tons of tusks that had been turned over to them at P420 million, or P84 million per ton. This means that the missing confiscated eight-ton cargo was worth P672 million.

The DENR is donating 30 tusks to the National Museum, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and other state agencies involved in enforcing laws and international agreements against illegal wildlife trade.

It is scheduled to destroy the rest of the five tons tomorrow at the Ninoy Aquino Park in Quezon City using road rollers.

Batocabe said the DENR should instead donate all the tusks to schools and other institutions for use in educating the public about the illegal wildlife trade.

“Environmental protection should be about preservation and not destruction. We should not destroy environmental treasures that are endangered and very difficult to replace,” he said.

According to DENR officials, the destruction of the elephant tusks would “show to the whole world that the Philippines does not tolerate illegal wildlife trade.” 

DENR’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) director Theresa Mundita Lim said they were authorized by the Geneva-based Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna or CITES to destroy confiscated elephant tusks.

“In fact, there’s a recommendation by the Commission on Audit to dispose the ivory tusks in accordance with the provision of CITES,” she said.