EL NIDO BUSINESSMAN CHARGED FOR POSSESSION OF BALINSASAYAW NESTS

Enforcers from the Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit (WTMU) of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development stationed at the El Nido Seaport, confiscated a box-full of edible bird’s nest last February 17, 2014 from a businessman in the municipality of El Nido.   According to the report, a man arrived at the port carrying the box and inquired if MV Asuncion II, which is bound for Manila, has arrived already. The man, later learned as Edgar Lim, said that he will be sending the box to Manila through the boat. When asked what was in the box, Lim said it contains cashew nuts and rice crisps (pinipig). Since every cargo loaded to boats and other sea vessels needs to go through initial screening to check for contrabands, the PCSD Enforcer, asked Lim to open the box. Upon inspection, instead of cashew nuts, several bags containing edible bird’s nests were found in the box with an estimated amount of Php135,000.00. The man didn’t have a transport permit from PCSD and certification from the concessionaire where he bought the nests.   When told that the transporting these nests are prohibited without the transport permit and that they will be confiscated, Lim left right away leaving the box and his senior citizen’s identification card.   The PCSD’s legal team from the ECAN Zones and Management and Enforcement Division (EZMED) will file charges of illegal possession of regulated wildlife by-products against Lim.   One of the tasks of a PCSD enforcement officer stationed at seaports and airports is to check the baggage and cargoes and hold and confiscate said items if found in a violation of environmental laws implemented by PCSD like the Wildlife Act, PCSD AO 12, PCSD AO 05, PCSD AO 06, and others.