Phl credits social media, public vigilance against poaching

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government is crediting social media and the public for helping authorities in the fight against illegal wildlife trading, a senior government official said today.

Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje said the series of wildlife rescue operations conducted recently by the joint operatives of the department, with support from various law enforcement agencies, were based on photos and information forwarded or shared by netizens to the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB).

He cited the recent seizure of a large number of stalactites, corals and other wildlife species during a buy-bust operation organized by the DENR and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at a house in southern city of Pagadian late last month.

Recovered at the house were 30 pieces of stalactites, 275 pieces of coral species that include precious and rare black and red corals, several giant clams, two carapace frames of hawksbill turtles, and 29 hawksbill scutes.

The sale of stalactites and corals were posted in a popular local online trading site and also posted in Facebook account of the house owner, including the photos of the endangered hawkbill turtles.

Prior to this, at least five animals were rescued from their captors on three separate occasions by operatives of the BMB, Paje said.

He urged the public to continue using social media in reporting cases of wildlife trafficking as the BMB will verify all photos, location and other valuable information provided on social networking sites.

The DENR chief reminded people that trade and possession of wildlife species without the necessary permit from the BMB is illegal under Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

Under the law, the illegal trade or possession of wildlife, especially species considered endangered, are punishable by a jail term of up to two years.