Twenty exotic birds were recovered yesterday from a wildlife trafficker in an entrapment operation conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Bacolod Office, at the Ceres Bus Terminal in Brgy. Bata, Bacolod.
Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Bacolod head, said they recovered four Kalaw Hornbills and 16 Tariktik Hornbills from Rosita Gonzaga Formentera at the Ceres Terminal in Bata at about 3 a.m. yesterday.
Formentera, 57, separated, of Brgy. Compostela, Liloan, Cebu, was arrested after she handed two-month old birds placed in separate plastic bags to a DENR operative, who acted as poseur buyer, Gerangaya said.
The DENR operatives waited at the bus terminal as early as 2:30 a.m. for the Ceres bus from Cebu to arrive in Bacolod, he added.
Formentera is now in the custody of CIDG-Bacolod for violation of Section 27 of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Act.
The exotic birds were brought to the CENRO Bacolod Office for proper care while the case against Formentera is being prepared.
Gerangaya said the entrapment operation with the CIDG-Bacolod, led by Chief Insp. Fernando Salvatierre, is a result of several months of surveillance after they had received information of rampant illegal transport or trafficking of wildlife.
There were reportedly only one or two exotic birds that were illegally transported to Bacolod and Iloilo before but the number has increased lately, he said.
Under the law, Formentera will be meted an imprisonment of one to six months for each bird recovered from her, Gerangaya said.
The birds are not endemic in Cebu but are found in the provinces of Samar and Leyte, he said.
Gerangaya said a young Kalaw Hornbill can be bought for P1,000 and sold for P2,500, while a mature one costs about P10,000. A young Tariktik Hornbill can be bought for P500 and sold for P1,000, while a mature one would cost not less than P6,000, he said.
The Tariktik Hornbill is a highly-endangered species and can be found in the rainforests of Panay, Negros, Masbate and Guimaras, while the Kalaw Hornbill makes its home in the forests in 11 islands in the Philippines.*CGS
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