DENR chief orders probe on P100M worth of seized elephant tusks

MANILA, Philippines - Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza on Thursday ordered an investigation into the illegal importation of some P100 Million worth of elephant tusks. He made the directive at the turnover of said hot cargo to the DENR by the Bureau of Customs at the South Harbor Manila. "This is a strong manifestation of the Bureau of Custom’s resolve to make itself an integral element in the country’s efforts to stop local and international illegal wildlife trade in compliance with Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act," Atienza said. The Philippines is signatory to the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), monitors the movement of wildlife and their by-products in and out of the country in a global effort to conserve our remaining wildlife resources. The seized elephant tusks were stashed in a shipment of waste plastic materials loaded in two 20-foot container vans that came from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in Africa where elephants are listed as endangered species. Atienza said a joint inventory will be undertaken by BOC and the Environment department’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) for proper documentation of the seized items as a requirement for the issuance of a forfeiture order before transferring it to DENR’s custody. He noted that protecting wildlife animals is just as important as addressing the problem of climate change in that wildlife play an important role in the ecological balance of nature. “Surely, these poachers murdered all these elephants just to get their tusks," Atienza said, adding that this would serve as a strong message to smugglers not to use the Philippines either as a transshipment or end point of illegal wildlife trade. Atienza wanted the brokerage firms involved included in the charges that will be filed against those in the smuggle attempt. For his part, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the BOC will also file cases against the shipments’ consignee for violation of Republic Act 9135, also known as the Tariff and Customs Law of the Philippines, as amended, for misdeclaring the shipment. Morales also said he will order the cancellation or suspension of the accreditation of the brokerage firms involved. BOC records showed the entry form covering the shipment was declared as consisting of blow moulding machine, a sophisticated equipment used in producing plastic pet bottles. But partial inspection conducted on March 15, 2009 showed the cargo consisted of 98 sacks of plastics scraps, prompting customs officials to conduct a 100 percent examination of the contents of the container, which resulted in the discovery of the tusks stashed in piles of carton boxes. One of the shipments was consigned to 210 Enterprise with business address at Ermita, Manila. Morales said the cargo of the second container van was opened yesterday (May 19) and yielded the same results, leading BOC officials to believe that the shipment may have originated from a single source. Morales noted that no entry form was declared to BOC by the brokerage firm hired by the shipper of the second container van, which also came from Tanzania, raising suspicion of a possible presence of tusks inside. An entry form is a document provided by a brokerage firm to BOC declaring the important descriptions of a shipment provided under oath by its client. BOC’s Enforcement and Security Services (ESS) noted that none of the consignees had come forward to claim the shipment despite repeated notices to witness the 100 percent examination of the container vans. According to PAWB, elephant tusks are sold for $100 per kilo in the black market. Elephant ivory has been used in huge amounts to make billiards balls, piano keys, identification chops and many other uses. In 2005, the BOC, along with 16 other government agencies involved in the enforcement of environmental laws, signed a memorandum of agreement with the DENR to support the enforcement of environmental laws. If proven that the tusks came from Africa, which CITES classifies under category II or endangered, the consignee is liable to pay fines of up to P200, 000, including the possibility of imprisonment from one to two years as provided for in RA 9147. - GMANews.TV