AT least eight kilos of “pawikan” or sea turtle meat were confiscated in a joint operation of the regional Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR-7), maritime police and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
DENR regional spokesman Eddie Llamedo told reporters during the Association of Government Information Officers in Central Visayas (AGIO-7) Forum Monday morning that they confiscated sliced turtle meat on board a motorized boat from Talibon town in Bohol province last week.
Llamedo said the confiscated kilos of meat were to be sold and cooked into a popular dish called “larang” or soup dish at barangay Pasil in Cebu City. The dish is sold at P60 to P80 but the meat has a market value of P300 to P400 per kilo.
Llamedo said they will file a case against the motorized boat owner and operator since the fisherman on board at the time of the arrest did not reveal who was the buyer of the turtle meat.