11 exotic birds seized in General Santos port

KORONADAL CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Mindanao confiscated 11 exotic birds from Indonesia and Malaysia at the General Santos City port yesterday.

Jim Sampulna, the DENR’s regional executive director, said the exotic birds, valued at about P500,000, were about to be shipped to Manila when elements of Task Force Wildlife, led by South Cotabato provincial environment and natural resources officer Gerry Sequito, chanced upon them.

Quoting reports, Sampulna said the birds were kept in 11 small cages.

Sampulna said experts of the Region 12 office of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Division were determining the birds’ species.

Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources, Conservation and Protection Act of 2001, prohibits the trading, collection, hunting, possession and transport of wildlife and their by-products and derivatives.

Indonesia and Malaysia have similar laws to protect their endangered birds and other wildlife species.

In a phone interview, Sequito told The STAR the seized exotic birds were smuggled into the country through Balut Island in Davao del Sur, which is only a few hours by boat from Malaysia or Indonesia.

"Based on reports, the smugglers of exotic birds transported them to General Santos City for shipment to Manila," he said.

Sequito said the seizure is in line with the order of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes to "tightly monitor" the movements of migratory birds and the illegal transport and trading of exotic birds, especially those coming from neighboring countries, to prevent the entry of the avian influenza virus into the country.

"Although the Department of Agriculture and other concerned government agencies have declared the entire region free of the bird flu virus, more efforts are still needed to ensure protection from this killer disease," Sequito said.