Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Tuesday welcomed the filing of criminal charges against a driver caught transporting a truckload of banned wildlife in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
“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,” he said.
He lauded director Henry Adornado of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa) region for tracking down the illegal trade of pangolins, or pawikan.
"It's going to be a tough fight but I know you're in for the long haul. Do not falter because we are one in making sure our wildlife is protected and conserved for our future," he said.
On July 28, DENR authorities arrested truck driver Joshue Arellano and confiscated 21 frozen Palawan pangolins and 16 dead marine turtles in a checkpoint in Barangay Sta. Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City .
The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, DENR's attached agency, filed illegal trafficking of wildlife charges against Arellano before the province's prosecutor's office.