Alarmed by the illegal trade of endemic and threatened wildlife, including plants amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is urging the public to immediately report illegal poachers and collectors of wildlife, both plants, and animals.
“Cutting, collecting and gathering of wild plants in the forest is a violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” said DENR 7 (Central Visayas) Regional Executive Director Paquito Melicor.
According to Melicor, the DENR is responsible for the protection of wildlife from poaching and illegal commercialization, and while DENR wildlife enforcement officers are working closely with partner enforcement agencies regionwide, they also seek the help of the public to tip or report violators in their respective areas.
The DENR has ordered wildlife enforcement officers and all the deputized wildlife enforcement officers in the four provinces in the Central Visayas to intensify monitoring and surveillance activities in seaports and airports.
“Collection and trade of threatened species is prohibited unless such acts are covered by a permit issued by the DENR.”
“We want to remind everyone that collection and trade of threatened species are prohibited unless such acts are covered by a permit issued by the DENR, please help us protect our wildlife by not patronizing and reporting these illegal activities,” the environment official said.
He added that the increasing demand for wild flora/wild plants threatens the number of endemic and threatened wildlife plants in the country’s forests and will cause a loss of biodiversity.
Because of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, some rural communities have resorted to the poaching of wild plants as an alternative source of income. These are then sold to interested buyers, the DENR said.
RA 9147 penalizes poaching and preserves the conservation status of wildlife.
For hunting and trading, the penalty ranges from two to four years of imprisonment and/or fine of P30,000 to P300,000 for hunting and P5,000 to P300,000.
For hunting and trading, the penalty ranges from two to four years in prison and/or the fine of P30,000 to P300,000 for hunting and P5,000 to P300,000 for the trading of wildlife. For transport of wildlife, the penalty is six months to one year in prison and/or P50,000 to P100,000 fine.
To report wildlife-related crimes in the Central Visayas, the DENR is urging the public to contact DENR- Community Environment Offices: CENRO Cebu City – 254-2565; CENRO Argao – 367-7387; CENRO Tagbilaran City – (038) 412-1026; CENRO Talibon – (038) 416-0156; CENRO Dumaguete City – (035) 422-4367; CENRO Ayungon – (038) 404-0829.