Animal abuse is far from rare in the Philippines, but the number of animals involved in this case takes it to another level.
Yesterday, Philippine government officials rescued about 300 smuggled animals found cramped in a home in Pasay City and arrested four men linked to the crime.
The Environmental Crimes Division of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) raided the home last night after the NBI received a tip about the place.
Mahigit 300 ibon at marsupial na ipinuslit sa Pilipinas para ibenta sa black market, nasabat ng NBI at DENR sa bahay ng umano’y nagbebenta nito sa Pasay. pic.twitter.com/Hxw9DPr3pz
— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) March 12, 2018
“We did a buy-bust operation and our undercover operative was offered to buy [the animals],” lawyer Czar Eric Nuqui, chief of the NBI Environmental Crime Division told reporters in Filipino.
They found 300 animals housed in cages that included 110 sugar gliders, 2 wallabies, 154 cockatoos, 17 black-capped lories, 16 rainbow lories, and three baby ostriches.
According to NBI’s special investigator Atty. Zaldy Rivera, the animals came from Indonesia, were smuggled through Mindanao, and transported to Manila in a van. Some of the animals are also being sold online.
When sold on the black market, the animals can be worth PHP5 million (US$96,038.73) – PHP10 million (US$192,077.29) in total.
However, Abraham Bernales, the homeowner, denied his connection to the crime and told ABS-CBN News that the animals were just left with him by an unnamed person.
A lot of the animals were cramped into the same cages, although it’s unclear if the animals faced any critical health issues.
Bernales was arrested by authorities along with caretakers Joner Bawente, Nestor Turion, and Jose Sandigan. They will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9417 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Apart from the obvious implications on animal rights, lawyer Rogelio Demelletes Jr. of the DENR also said illegally bringing birds to the country is banned because they may bring in bird flu.
According to ABS-CBN News, this is considered the largest rescue of banned species smuggled into the country.
The animals were brought to the DENR rescue center in Quezon City and will be put under quarantine.
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