As part of a joint operation, the Philippine Coast Guard found the shells, known locally as “taklobo,” on the shores of Sitio Green Island, in the western province of Palawan, according to a Facebook post. The trek was worth ₱ 1.2 billion (approximately $ 24.8 million).
According to Coast Guard Palawan commander Commodore Genito Basilio, it is the largest illegal catch of giant shells in the region.
The law enforcement team arrested four suspects and charged them with violating the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Section 27 of the Act says it is illegal for anyone to “knowingly and knowingly exploit the resources of wild animals and their habitats” for a number of reasons, including the trade or collection of wild animals.
Anyone who kills or destroys wildlife species classified as endangered can face two years in prison or a fine of ₱ 20,000 ($ 410) under the law.
The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), which also participated in the operation alongside intelligence groups such as the Australian Federal Police, said in a statement Saturday that it questioned a member of the group that took the mussels, Rosalee Tequillo.
“PCSDS” [sic] discussion with Dra. Tequillo learned that she and her group are engaged in the collection and possession of giant clams for commercial purposes without legal authority, “the statement said.
Tequillo claimed she had permission from the Philippine President’s office and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to collect the grenades, the PCSD said, adding that Tequillo had no documents to prove this.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s office, the BFAR and the PCSD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“A certain group of individuals” spread the false rumor that the PCSD and BFAR allowed the collection of taklobo, the PCSD said in a statement April 13.
The giant clams help preserve marine life by protecting some animals and stopping too much algae growth, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.
Tequillo also claimed that the suspected group had a “treasure hunt license,” but the PCSD does not include the giant shells. The mollusks can only be collected for taxonomic purposes and not for trade, it added.
Teodoro Jose S. Matta, the executive director of the PCSD, stressed in Saturday’s statement that the body responsible for regulating the Wildlife Act in Palawan “will remain committed to tackling the illegal wildlife trade. . “
In a separate statement released on Saturday, the PCSD called on local fishermen and civilians to refrain from collecting and trading shells and other endangered wildlife.
This attack is one of a number of similar incidents in recent months. Along with the Philippine Coast Guard and other groups, the PCSD seized 324 pieces of giant shellfish worth ₱ 160 million on Johnson Island on March 3, following a similar discovery in October.
According to CNN Philippines, the Philippine National Police and the BFAR seized an estimated ₱ 50 million of the endangered shells on Negros Island in February.
