The release was led by Project Assistant (PA) II Vincent Bolante of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Mambusao, accompanied by the Bantay Dagat forces, namely: Meinrado A. Alonzo, Roberto D. Herrera, and Municipal ENRO of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sapian staff member Theia Olivar.
The sea turtle was reportedly kept in custody for nearly two years, but also taken care of and fed with fish by a resident of Barangay Agtatacay Norte, Sapian, Capiz. A physical examination of the Hawksbill sea turtle was done by PA II Bolante, and the wildlife was found to be in good condition. The sea turtle was accidentally captured by a fish trap locally known asย taba, designed to catch shrimps, crabs, and other crustaceans.
However, the sea turtle did not meet the minimum required length of 40 centimeters for standard tagging proceduresโa device that is used to record data about the marine animalsโwhich helps researchers discover where the animals originated and the environment they are in. This tagging procedure is important to prevent illegal poaching of marine wildlife for illegal trade.
In line with the recent incident and to avoid the same thing from happening again, CENRO Mambusao conducted a Technical Assistance (TA) activity for the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sapian, Capiz. The activity aims to build the capacity and create awareness among coastal communities to respond to procedural rescue and release of Marine Turtles.
The activity was attended by barangay officials, fisherfolk, resort owners, and LGU representatives, where they actively participated in lectures and open forums, reflecting strong collaboration and shared commitment to environmental stewardship.
โDENR VI continues its efforts to conserve and protect marine wildlife along with its natural habitat. I encourage everyone to join hands and work towards one goal and a commitment to marine biodiversity conservation and ensure that all of these precious species have a place to live for their survival,โ said the Regional Executive Director (RED) of DENR VI, Raul L. Lorilla.
