16-20 January 2023 — The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) joined in the week-long training on the Counter Transnational Organized Crime Course (CTOC)-Philippines held at Cityscape Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Niño Rey C. Estoya, Acting Executive Director, rendered a solidarity message.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State-Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (US-INL) and organized by the FREELAND, World Wildlife Fund, Inc. (WWF), International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Tanggol Kalikasan, the training aimed to build the capacity of law enforcement offices and officers in the Philippines to counter Transnational Organized Crimes concerning wildlife as well as to build networks of cooperation.
The five-day training was conducted in pursuit of the Targeting Regional Investigations for Policing Opportunities & Development (TRIPOD), another project funded by the US-INL. Led by FREELAND and implemented by IFAW and WWF, TRIPOD combats wildlife crime and disrupts wildlife traffickers in Southeast Asia. Its goal is to identify, care for, and return confiscated wildlife back to their appropriate habitats.
Glenn Destriza, Head of EZMED-Enforcement Section and John Carlo Roquid, Wildlife and Environmental Crime Investigator, participated on behalf of the PCSDS. Representatives from Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), BARMM-Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries Agrarian Reform, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP-Maritime, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Cebu Port Authority, Philippine Center for Transnational Crime, The Special Envoy on Transnational Crime, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) were likewise included in the attendees.