'Most wanted' seller of endangered animals falls in Cavite

Government agents on Thursday arrested in Dasmariñas, Cavite, the alleged "most wanted" seller of endangered animals in the Calabarzon area, according to John Consulta's report on "24 Oras."

Adamson Lacadem is facing charges for allegedly violating Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, said Olivero Ramos, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Cavite.

Among the animals seized from Lacadem were two civet cats, a grass owl, a chattering lorrie or forest parrot, two braminy kites or Singapore bald eagles, African love birds, and three baby olive ridley sea turtles.

Operatives also found a bull python worth P30,000 to P40,000 and recovered a yellow-faced talking myna from Lacadem's neighbor.

"Ito po ay parang tinatawag nating national treasure, umoonti na po yung mga ibon na ganito at sa wild. Sana magtulungan po tayo para yung ating mga kabataan at future generation, yung mga ibong ito hindi lang nila basta makikita sa kalendaryo o sa mga retrato," Rogelio Demelletes, Wildlife Enforcement Officer, said.

Lacadem denied that he was selling the animals, but his Facebook posts and text messages for the past six months betrayed his claim as they clearly showed his transactions, the report said.

Most of the captive animals were either sick or have developed trauma, the report said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News