So-called netizens can help combat illegal-wildlife trade, which now uses online social-media platforms.
In the Philippines Facebook has become a platform for unscrupulous businessmen to sell wild-caught animal species, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) said.
On Friday the DENR-led Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade (Pogi) in cooperation with the National Bureau of Investigation-Environmental Crimes Division (NBI-ECD) arrested Ronald de Vera during a buy-bust operation around 1:30 p.m. along Hermosa Street, in Tondo, Manila.
De Vera, who uses the Facebook account name Dlanor Areved, is selling illegally caught native birds in various Facebook groups.
According to the DENR-BMB, the suspect has been under surveillance by wildlife law-enforcement agents from the DENR-led Pogi and NBI-ECD before the buy bust.
Josefina de Leon, the division chief of the Wildlife Resources Division of DENR-BMB, said the suspect was selling two hornbills for P16,000.
Seized from the suspects are two brahminy kite (Haliastur indus), also known as the red-backed sea-eagle and two tarictic hornbills.
The Task Force Pogi said they received a report from a confidential informant, a netizen, who tipped them about the illegal activities of de Vera.
Charges were filed by the NBI against the suspect for violation of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
“Wildlife trafficking transactions are now done through the social media,” de Leon said.
She asked netizens, especially those who are active in Facebook, to help prevent illegal activities by reporting to the DENR-BMB.
The official advised netizens to make their report clear by identifying the suspected violator, what is the violation or the crime being committed, when and where it happened, so that they can place the suspect under surveillance.
The DENR-BMB through the Task Force Pogi and the NBI-ECD have had successful buy-bust operations targeting unscrupulous businessmen engaging in wildlife trade through the social media over the past years.
De Leon assured they would protect the identity of those who report violators.
“The identities of our informants are strictly confidential,” she said.
The official said the help of netizens will be a big boost in the campaign against illegal-wildlife trade, which is one of the drivers of biodiversity loss, not only in the Philippines but other parts of the world.
The Philippines is one of the leading users of social-media platforms, particularly Facebook.