Stricter penalties vs wildlife poachers, traders pushed

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reiterated its call to lawmakers to pass a law that will impose stricter penalties against wildlife poachers and traders.

The DENR wants lawmakers to amend Republic Act (RA) 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001, citing the increasing number of Philippine Eagles rescued recently.

“Experts in Philippine Eagle biology and ecology deem that the surge in rescues during this time of a pandemic could mean that culprits are intruding into the forests to hunt for food and as a source of livelihood. They disturbed the forest habitats,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said yesterday.

“We have to remain vigilant and let the perpetrators know that there are laws they have to face if they continue with such acts” Cimatu said.

The DENR released on Jan. 10 a female eagle named “Godod” in the town of Godod, Zamboanga del Norte.

Godod was rescued by personnel of the community environment and natural resources office (CENRO) based in Liloy town.

CENRO personnel received reports that a raptor was held in captivity by a resident in Barangay Bunawan in the municipality of Godod.

The Philippine Eagle is considered a “critically endangered” species, according to the updated list of threatened Philippine fauna and their categories.

The Philippine Eagle is also described as a species “threatened with extinction” by the Convention on International Trade for Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES.

It is also included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN’s red list of threatened species.

The DENR earlier expressed support for pending bills in Congress that seek to amend the 21-year-old RA 9147.

“RA 9147 should be amended to include a mandatory minimum jail term of six years for those found guilty of the criminal acts defined under the law,” Cimatu said.