PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The Police Provincial Office here on Wednesday reported that three individuals — including two Chinese nationals — were detained by authorities at a Commission on Elections checkpoint in Roxas town, northern Palawan, amid suspicions of their involvement in illegal wildlife trading.

PPO spokesperson Police Major Ric Ramos identified the suspects as Yixiang Huuang, a 63-year-old Chinese national who resides in Cebu; Aaron Tan Wee, a 38-year-old Chinese national with a registered residence in Leyte; and Moktar Anodin Pendiwata, a 40-year-old resident hailing from Dumaran municipality, Palawan.

Ramos said the vigilance of checkpoint personnel in Barangay Minara in the said town was raised on the morning of 17 October when they observed the absence of seatbelts on both the driver and front passenger of an SUV. This prompted them to initiate an inspection of the vehicle.

During the inspection process, they discovered 122 shark fins and 82 sea cucumbers concealed within the compartment of the vehicle. To ascertain the legality of these confiscated items, authorities enlisted the participation of local officials.

Both Ferdinand Dacillo, the barangay captain of Minara, and Arnolfo Villanueva, a barangay kagawad, were summoned to the scene. They were joined by Eduardo Cabrera, a representative from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff.

"Upon verification of the reported vehicle, one Mitsubishi Mirage, the driver and his passenger in front were not wearing seat belts, which resulted in the issuance of a temporary operator's permit and while examining the other vehicle's documents, they noticed the suspicious baggage placed in the compartment," Ramos said.

"It became evident that the said package was loaded with shark fins and sea cucumbers," he added.

The operation was orchestrated by the Roxas Municipal Police Station in collaboration with several law enforcement units, including the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, Naval Forces West, Provincial Intelligence Unit-Palawan, Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit Special Operations Group, and the Land Transportation Office Palawan.

Illegal wildlife trading continues to be a pressing concern in Palawan, posing a grave threat to its biodiversity and the preservation of endangered species.

The PPO said the apprehension of these individuals represents a substantial step in the fight against unlawful wildlife trading, safeguarding the province's marine resources.

Currently, the three suspects are in the custody of the authorities, while the confiscated wildlife products will be handed over to relevant agencies for further examination and evidentiary purposes.