Environment Secretary Ramon Paje has directed the Protected Areas and
Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) to forego the burning of some P420 million worth
of elephant tusks.
"I have already instructed the PAWB to forego the ceremonial burning.
But just the same, the confiscated tusks weighing about five tons will
be crushed as planned using road rollers," Paje said.
Under the original plan, 20 pieces of the smuggled ivory tusks will
be burned for at least five minutes using kerosene, while the bigger
volume will be crushed using road rollers, during ceremonies at the
Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City on June 21. The
use of kerosene in the exercise was based on a recommendation by the
Environmental Management Bureau.
Paje earlier said the decision to destroy the ivory tusks was to
"show to the whole world that the Philippines will not tolerate illegal
wildlife trade."
This will be witnessed by foreign experts and anti-ivory trade
advocates in support of the global effort to end the illegal trade of
wildlife species.
Clean-air groups, however, asked the DENR to drop the ceremonial burning.
“Even if the intent is only to conduct a ‘ceremonial burning,’ we remain anxious as this will likely send a confusing message to the general public from the environmental authorities that open burning is acceptable,” the groups told Paje.
