Some 47 endangered species that an Office for Transportation Security (OTS) employee has attempted to ship out to Japan late Thursday afternoon.were rescued at a cargo warehouse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Bureau of Customs (BOC) District III Collector Edgar Macabeo said the endangered species–11 tarsiers, 11 monitor lizards, eight sailfin lizards, six water snakes, five rat snakes, three scops owls and three Philippine eagles–were turned over to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau for safekeeping.

Macabeo added that the OTS personnel identified as Gerald Bravo earlier declared the cargo as plain aquatic plants.





Bravo was responsible for processing documents of the endangered species, which were placed inside five Styrofor boxes and consigned to a certain Shoji Masumaya of Japan.

Customs Trade Control examiners Ariane Joy Santiaguel, Lorna Morales and Ronaldo Pardo, however, doubted the claim of Bravo and immediately made a physical inspection of the shipment.

Reports said the endangered species came from Bicol and Quezon province and their trader brought them to Pasay Cartimar market for a prospective buyer.

Bravo was later brought to the Department of Justice for proper filing of criminal case for illegal trade of wildlife under Republic Act 9147.