TACLOBAN CITY — Police arrested a man caught selling two live endangered birds in Barangay Central, Hilongos town in Leyte province last Tuesday.

Reports from the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas disclosed that the the 26-year-old suspect was caught in an entrapment operation selling a White-Eared Brown Dove — locally called Alimokon — to an asset of the Hilongos Municipal Police Station.

The sting operation was launched in coordination with the Enforcement Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office in Eastern Visayas.

Glenn Garciano, chief of the enforcement division at DENR-8, said the White-Eared Brown Dove is included in the Updated List of Threatened Philippine Flora and Fauna under Department Administrative Order 2019-09.

Garciano said mere possession of plants and animals included in the list without permit is punishable under the law.

He added that a case will be filed against the suspect for violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Law where a guilty individual may face an imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of between P50,000 to P100,000.