Eatery owner vows not to serve turtle meat again

The owner of the the Cebu City eatery that was ransacked by authorities for cooking and serving turtle meat has vowed to keep the illegal item off the menu for good, according to a report on "Balita Pilipinas Ngayon" by Nico Sereno.

Authorities seized around 60 kilos of already chopped-up turtle meat from Lolita Obatay's karinderya last Tuesday.

On Thursday, the owner denied knowing where the supply came from. Obatay also claimed they have long stopped serving turtle meat after repeatedly being flagged by the authorities and were only caught cooking turtle meat again this week because a delivery came in.

The heads and shells have already been removed from the meat.

"Tumigil na kami kasi matagal na kaming pinuntahan dito pero timing lang na may nag-hatid...Timing lang din na kumain 'yung asset ba nila 'yun," Obatay said.

"Iniwan lang tapos wala pang bayad. Ibinalik tapos tinimbang na lang namin kasi kawawa naman 'yung driver ng trisikad kasi pinagpapawisan na," she added.

When asked about the supplier, she said: "Hindi rin niya sinasabi. Ayaw nilang sabihin kung saan nanggaling lahat."

Turtles, locally known as pawikan, are considered endangered species and protected under Philippine wildlife and conservation laws.

Obatay's karinderya is located at Barangay Pasil, which is known as an area where people come looking for exotic food.

Other eatery owners also insisted they do not sell the prohibited product. "May mga naghahanap talaga, pero kung naghahanap sila dito sinasabihan lang namin, 'wala kami.' Hindi kami nagbebenta ng endangered," one of the eatery owners said. — MDM, GMA News