109 endangered animals found in Tondo house

MANILA, Philippines - At least 109 endangered animals were found during a raid on a house in Tondo, Manila Wednesday, officials said yesterday.

Only 14 Philippine forest or pond turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis or pagong) were found alive, said Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau director Theresa Mundita Lim.

The raiding team, led by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo, found the bodies of 78 Palawan hill mynas (Gracula religiosa or kiyaw), an endangered endemic species; 12 blue-naped parrots (Tanygnathus lucionensis or pikoy), a vulnerable endemic species; five juvenile Indo-Pacific or saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), an endangered non-endemic species.

Adobo, who heads the recently created Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade or POGI, said the illegal wildlife traders have been operating for five years.

“We acted on a tip that a shipment of wildlife species from Palawan was loaded on a motorized banca that would be docking in Cavite, and would be transported to Manila. The shipment was said to consist of 310 Palawan hill mynas, 96 blue-naped parrots, two Palawan bearcats, two leopard cats, and a Palawan otter,” he said in a press briefing.

Adobo said the mynas, parrots and crocodiles were killed, “presumably to stop the animals from making noise.” The bearcats, leopard cats and otter “were not in the house,” he added.

He noted that a myna, which is priced at P150 in Palawan, can be sold for P2,500 in Metro Manila.

Lim said the turtles will be returned to Palawan while the confiscated carcasses will be kept as evidence. She added they will coordinate with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development with regards to these recovered wildlife species.

House owner Baby Paclarin; Adelaida Roxas, whose name appears in billing statements for the house; Val delos Reyes and Victor Cascara will be charged with violating Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. They remain at large, officials said.