Man convicted for killing endemic hornbill in 2014

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has secured a conviction in a wildlife case in connection with the killing of a Rufous hornbill, a threatened bird species locally known as kalaw, in Ilocos Norte in 2014.

Judge Conrado Ragucos of Branch 19 of the Bangui Regional Trial Court sentenced Michael Datu to a jail term of up to four years after he pleaded guilty to killing the kalaw, which is penalized under Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Protection Act.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu lauded the court ruling as a “decisive victory for the country’s wildlife as it sends a strong signal that wildlife crimes cannot go unpunished.”

He said the DENR “will continue to uphold its mandate in protecting the environment, particularly the diverse biodiversity species that comprise the multitudes of ecosystems in the country.”

The case stemmed from a photo posted on the Facebook page of Wild Bird Club Philippines showing a man, later identified as Datu, holding up a dead kalaw with a rifle hanging across his chest.