Authorities had seized P55 million worth of giant clams, locally known as “taclobo”, during an entrapment operation Feb. 12 in Barangay Pagatban, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
The confiscated giant clams have an estimated international market value of P918 million, the police report said.
A team of law enforcers from the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Bureau Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office and Bayawan City Police Station, arrested Ricardo de la Cruz Jr. for selling 1,000 kilos of the endangered giant clams species worth P5 million to a police poseur-buyer, PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said in a report.
During the operation, police and BFAR recovered a total 10,000 kilos of giant clams, including the 1,000 kilos bought by the undercover decoy, with a market value of P50 million, a Colt caliber .45 pistol with a magazine containing seven live ammunition, following the inventory of confiscated items.
Police said it identified the owner as Yan Hu Liang, alias Sunny, who remains at-large, as of press time.
“This accomplishment showed that the law on sustainable conservation and protection of fisheries and aquatic resources is being enforced by our local authorities,” Sinas said.
Dela Cruz and alias Sunny are both liable for violating Republic Act 8550, known as the amended Fisheries Code of the Philippines, in relation to Fisheries Administrative Order 208 on “Conservation of rare, threatened and endangered fishery species”. – GB
