CONEL, General Santos City – A team of environment personnel and a police operative arrested a policeman and two (2) other minors for hunting and killing endangered flock of ‘flying foxes’ here Sunday (July 18) afternoon.
Capt Abdulsalam Mamalinta, acting police head of Police Station 4 (PP4), identified the policeman as one Staff Sgt Ibanez Faldas, a resident of Polomolok in South Cotabato, while the two minors were only known in their aliases as Kyle, 17 and Carlo, 15, – all currently residing in this city. Recovered from the three suspects were dead ‘fruit bats’ and a 12-gauge shotgun sans serial numbers, and allegedly used in their foxes hunting activity, and six assorted motorcycle units.
During their actual arrest, a team from the Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO), and a policeman, have recovered 59 heads of large ‘flying foxes’ or big bats in Purok Guadalupe, Barangay Conel, here.
Capt Mamalinta told reporters the illegal activity of the three suspects was discovered with a tip from concerned citizens. Immediately, a team from CENRO and a policeman responded to the area mentioned by the informant.
Mamalinta said: “The investigation is ongoing regarding the extent of the illegal hunting activity in the area and the possible involvement of other persons.”
All the three suspects, according to the police official, were from Barangay Silway 8 in Polomolok, South Cotabato. They will be charged of violating Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Meanwhile, the policeman suspect was temporarily detained at Station 4 in San Isidro vllage here, while the minors were brought to the local government-owned Bahay Pag asa in Barangay Sinamal pending the formal filing of cases. – PNA
