Pangolin, turtle trader charged

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu on Tuesday welcomed the filing of charges against a truck driver found illegally transporting endangered Palawan pangolins and dead marine turtles in Puerto Princesa City.

“This is an outright disregard of our environmental laws, particularly our Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection law. There is no justification for the smuggling and killing of our wildlife species,” Cimatu said.

Last Saturday, a truckload of banned wildlife meat believed destined for the black market was confiscated at 5 a.m. at the DENR checkpoint in Barangay Sta. Lourdes in Puerto Princesa.

Inspectors from the DENR’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office and officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Puerto Princesa City found 21 frozen Palawan pangolins, one green turtle and 15 hawksbill turtles.

The Elf truck had no plate number. The driver, identified as Joshue C. Arellano, was questioned by authorities but he kept mum on his cargo.

Arellano was also reportedly carrying an unlicensed .38 caliber pistol when he was apprehended.

The truck driver was detained and charged by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, an attached agency of the DENR, for violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, at the City Prosecutor’s Office. He is now under the custody of the Puerto Princesa police.

Cimatu urged the PNP to dig deeper into the case.