TACLOBAN CITY- A white-bellied sea eagle was recently rescued by personnel of the Marabut Municipal Police Station (MPS) after receiving report from a concerned citizen that it is being held captive by a man.
According to the captor, identified as Donato Labrague, he caught the eagle on August 16, 2020 at around 6 pm after it hit a coconut tree and fell on the ground in village in San Roque.
The Marabut MPS then turn-over the eagle to Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Sta. Rita, Samar.
Forester Glenn Garciano of CENRO-Sta Rita said eagle are generally territorial.
“Once there is disruption in its habitat it affects them and would go out,” Garciano said.
He said that they have intensified their information and education campaigns every year not only on environmental policies and laws but also including forestry and laws on wild fauna.
“We inform the people that there are sanctions and penalties if they are caught with a possession of endangered animals,” Garciano said.
Garciano added that when they conducted LAWIN or landscape and wildlife indicator, they have seen the threat to forest and wildlife which includes poaching and kaingin.
Marabut Municipal Police Station Chief, Cpt. Charmaine Cartalla, said that this is the third case of reported captive Philippine Eagle in their area this year.
The first case was reported in March 2020 and the second case was last month, July 2020.
The white-bellied sea eagle with a wingspan of 1.86 meters is considered as one of the endangered bird species in the Philippines.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
