P150,000 reward up for info on Pamana killing

MANILA, Philippines - A reward amounting to P150,000 is being offered for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of those who shot dead Philippine Eagle Pamana.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is putting up a P100,000 bounty while Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon will give P50,000, Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) executive director Dennis Salvador said yesterday.

Pamana, a three-year-old female Philippine Eagle, was found dead by biologists of the PEF and forest guards at the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Davao Oriental last Sunday. A puncture wound and metal fragment on her right breast indicated she died of a gunshot wound.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the entire DENR community was distraught over the killing of yet another Philippine Eagle, which he described as a setback to government efforts to protect the critically endangered raptor.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Pamana. Those responsible for this barbaric act must be arrested and punished for committing this environmental crime,” he said.

The environment chief, however, said that Pamana’s death would not prevent the government – through the PEF – from pursuing its captive breeding program to boost the population of the majestic national bird.

He called on law enforcement units in the province to assist regional environment officials in hunting down the perpetrators.

He said the DENR regional office, the Protected Area Management Board at Mount Hamiguitan and the PEF are now conducting a full investigation on the incident.

Meanwhile, Director Mundita Lim of the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau said efforts to rehabilitate and release Pamana have been tedious and precious.

“Despite efforts to inform and educate, there are still mindless individuals, irresponsible gun wielders who use wildlife for target practice. We will do all we can along with the PAMB of Mt. Hamiguitan to identify who is responsible for this wildlife crime and to see to it that this will not happen again,” she said.

At the Senate, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is pushing for the conduct of an inquiry into the killing of Pamana.

Santiago, sponsor of the treaty on the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity at the Senate, will file a resolution on Monday calling for an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the death of Pamana and risks to endangered Philippine species in protected areas. – With Christina Mendez, Edith Regalado