THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Davao Region formally turned over the 29 recovered Philippine geckos (tuko) to the Crocodile Park Tuesday afternoon.
Lawyer Arcelito Albao, NBI spokesperson, told Sun.Star Davao that at the Crocodile Park, the geckos will be back into their natural habitat where they will be protected.
He confirmed that a total of 29 tuko were seized from a house in Matina. The geckos were placed inside a large black rubberized container and fed with worms.
The NBI successfully recovered the tuko reportedly kept by a certain Mr. Wang and Mr. Kim, both Korean nationals, in a house located at Door 1, No. 100 Lower Emerald St., Morales Village, Matina, Davao City on Monday.
The respondents were not in the house during the raid and are believed to have left for Korea. The raid was conducted based on a search warrant dated September 12, issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 14 Judge George Omelio.
"Last week pa unta namo ni adtuon pero after pag-approve sa search warrant wala na didto ang duha ka Koreano, so ginahulat pa to namo nga magbalik pero wala man jud, so amo na lang gi-adto jud kay good for 10 days lang man ang bisa sa search warrant," Albao said.
He said they were able to talk with the Koreans after their helper called them by phone. They know that the respondents were already in Korea.
"Ana pa ang Koreano gina-alagaan lang daw nila, pero imposible kay sa kadaghan ani murag ginanegosyo jud ni," he said.
NBI regional director lawyer Max Salvador on Monday said the NBI has a memorandum of agreement with the DENR for the proper turnover of the seized tuko.
Salvador said the suspects would probably sell the tuko abroad.
He said this is the first time the NBI has seized geckos in the region, adding that their office is eyeing for others who keep tuko for business.
"Under Chapter 5 of Republic Act 9147, kaning gitawag nato nga pag-pamaligya sa tuko violation na siya, ang pag collect violation na siya," said Rita Fe Cordova, DENR public affairs division officer-in-charge, in an interview on Tuesday's "Una ka Bai" program.
She said violators will face a penalty of three years and one day to four years in jail, and a fine of P30,000.
"Kung ang usa ka wildlife madakpan sama sa tuko, anaa ra diha ang range sa iyang penalty, but then kung ang imong gidakop tua na sa critically-endangered species, mudako pud ang fines and penalty," she said.
Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as "Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act" mandates DENR to have jurisdiction over all terrestrial plant and animal species, all turtles and tortoises and wetland species, including but not limited to crocodiles, water birds and all amphibians and dugong.
It also provides that any person or persons caught in the trading of wildlife, collecting, hunting or possessing wildlife, their by-products and derivatives, maltreating and/or inflicting other injuries and transporting of wildlife, will be meted with the corresponding fines and penalties.
She said they also received reports that there are some who sell tuko on social networking sites like Facebook, adding they recently adopted an aggressive awareness campaign to warn the public against selling and buying tuko.
"Kauban jud na namo pirmi ang NBI kung nay mga report about ani sa wildlife," she said.
Meanwhile, Albao said they are still preparing the filing of charges against Mr. Wang and Mr. Kim.
