THE two men who were arrested for transporting endangered Helmet and Trumpet shells worth P2 million stepped out of jail past 4 p.m. last Friday.
Truck driver Romel Tuacas, 34, and his companion Delfin Jakosalem, 48, were released by the Minglanilla police shortly after they each posted P8,000 bail.
They were charged with violating Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Judge Veronico Sardoncillo of the Municipal Trial Court in Minglanilla signed their release order.
Loy Anthony Madrigal, head of the Cebu Provincial Task Force on Anti-Illegal Fishing, said they will file separate charges on Monday against Estanislao Pepito Sr., the registered owner of the truck which transported “budyong” and “tambuli” shells.
The Capitol task force intercepted last Wednesday the six-wheeler truck loaded with seashells at a checkpoint in Minglanilla, southern Cebu.
Tumacas and Jakosalem were arrested for possessing and transporting endangered shells to barangay San Roque, Talisay City.
Their lawyer Julius Cesar Entice said the men had no idea what was in the truck.
“It was loaded by other individuals. They were just told by someone that they were transporting packs of dried fish,” Entice told CDN.
Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Jerome Abarca had the case filed in court yesterday after the two men waived a preliminary investigation.
Confiscated were approximately 970 Trumpet shells, 3,249 Helmet shells and 25,615 smooth top shells.
The CITES or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora classifies these shells as “endangered species.”
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