Manila Bulletin, Philippines : DENR is firm in its campaign to save endangered dugong

22/05/2003

DENR is firm in its campaign to save endangered dugong

By Edmer F. Panesa

Secretary Elisea G. Gozun of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has vowed to apply the full force of the law on those responsible for the decline in the number of endangered dugong or seacow in the country.

This developed as the DENR filed a criminal case against a certain Edgardo de la Torre for the slaying of a male dugong in the town of Roxas, Palawan.

Gozun said De la Torre may have violated Department Administrative Order No. 55, issued by DENR in 1991, which makes dugong the first marine mammal to be protected in Philippine waters.

She said the law prohibits the hunting, killing, wounding, taking, possessing, transporting and/or disposing of a dugong, whether dead or alive, and its meat and any of its by-products.

“The public has to know how serious we are in enforcing the law. Dugongs are precious marine mammals, and we need to safeguard its decreasing population which is now only found in certain areas of Palawan,” the DENR chief said.

Findings of an investigation conducted by the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Roxas, Palawan showed that last Jan. 4, one head of male dugong measuring some 1.5 meters was stranded at sitio Olangoan, barangay Tumarbong, and was later slaughtered by De la Torre and other residents of the area.

CENRO filed the case against De la Torre with the 6th Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Palawan.

Dugongs are large, gray mammals and are sometimes referred to as seacows for they only eat seagrass. Its length may reach three meters and may weigh almost 500 kilos.

Based on 1997 statistics, aside from Palawan, dugongs can be found also in Romblon, Guimaras and Pujada Bay in Davao Oriental.