A group of 20 civil society organizations has come together to call on the government to implement the full force of the law on the poaching of 500 dead and live sea turtles by 11 Chinese, who were included in a group of fishermen caught on May 6 in a fishing boat that contained over 200 live turtles such as the Hawks Bill and the Green Sea, considered as endangered species, off the Palawan coast.
According to the civil society organizations, the Chinese fishers should be punished with 12 years of imprisonment and a fine of P 1 million each, as stated under the Philippine Wildlife Act of 1997 or Republic Act 9147. All the species of sea turtles found in the Chinese boat are protected by the Wildlife Act and mandated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Department (DENR) Administrative Order 2004-15.
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