An animal vendor will stand trial for selling exotic lizards along Magallanes Street in Cebu City.
Alfredo Librando, a resident of barangay Basak-San Nicolas, Cebu City, was charged in court for violating Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Bail recommended is P1,500.
Librando was arrested by foresters of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last May 16 after he failed to show the required permit to sell Philippine sailfin lizards.
When presented before Asst. Provincial Prosecutor Aurora Peñaflor, Librando waived his right to a preliminary investigation. After finding sufficient basis to indict the accused, the prosecutor recommended the filing of charges against Librando before the Regional Trial Court.
In his affidavit, DENR forest ranger Lucito Sardañas said he and a team of DENR officers went to Magallanes Street in Cebu City last May 16 to monitor the sale of various animals in the area.
While they were along Magallanes St., they saw Librando selling three Philippine sailfin lizards.
The DENR team approached Librando and asked if he possessed the required permits for selling the Philippine sailfin lizards.
Librando presented a permit issued by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), but he failed to show the required DENR permits to sell the endangered lizards.
Based on Department Administrative Order No. 2004-15 of Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, the sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus) is endemic to the Philippines and is categorized under “other threatened species.”
If found guilty by the court, Librando will face imprisonment of 10 days to one month and/or a fine of P200 to P20,000.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
