Five nabbed for selling “pawikan” meat in Pasil

CEBU, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested five workers in an eatery in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City for allegedly selling meat of pawikan or chelonia mydas, an endangered specie, yesterday morning.

Lawyer Habeas Corpuz, agent on case from NBI Manila, said prior to the operation, they received intelligence report from their counterpart in Cebu about an alleged illegal wildlife trade in Barangay Pasil.

“We conducted verification with our asset and eventually it yielded into a positive result. We identify that these individuals are engaged in selling sea turtle meat and other by-products and derivatives of this wildlife,” he said, adding that the surveillance was conducted for two months.

Corpuz said if customers will order “larang,” the workers in the eatery will automatically give cooked pawikan.

Because they needed to have the meat to be subjected to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test to confirm that it is indeed pawikan, they bought one kilo of meat.

Corpuz said after it was confirmed, they coordinated with the Cebu City government for the entrapment operation.

Together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Prevention Restoration Orderly Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) led by Raquel Arce and NBI-7 agents, they conducted a test buy that resulted in the arrest of the cashier, cook, and helpers, who have knowledge of the trading.

Corpuz said they discovered volumes of pawikan meat placed inside an ice box.

He said they were not able to get the name and arrest the owner of the eatery.

“They did not disclose as of now (referring to the owner of an eatery),” he said adding that the owner is the subject of their follow-up operation as well as the source of the pawikan meat.

“We want to cut the source,” he said.

Arce said prior to the operation, the NBI asked for their assistance.

She has no knowledge how long the eatery has been selling pawikan meat.

However, she heard that “larang” in Pasil which was called “power” is very famous and it costs P90 per serving.

Aside from selling pawikan meat, Arce said the eatery committed violation for road encroachment.

“We will be issuing a notice to vacate the road,” she said.

They will also check if the eatery has the necessary permits.

A cashier, who refused to be named, admitted selling pawikan meat for a quite some time at P75 per serving.

Meanwhile, Corpuz said charges for violation of Section 27 (illegal acts) paragraphs e (trading of wildlife) and f (collecting, hunting or possessing wildlife, their by-products and derivatives) of Republic Act 9147 or Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act will be filed against those arrested. (FREEMAN)