At approximately 3:00 PM on November 28, personnel from the Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Gov Gen were alerted by Barangay Kagawad Ronald C. Matinao about a suspicious motorized bancas (MBCA) operating approximately 3 nautical miles off the coast of Barangay Pundaguitan. The Coast Guard team, in coordination with local law enforcement, responded to the area.
By 4:00 PM, the team, led by personnel from CGSS and the Coast Guard Investigation Unit (CGIU) of Davao Oriental, arrived at the scene and intercepted an unregistered MBCA with five crew members aboard—two Indonesian nationals and three Filipinos.
Upon inspection, the team discovered a haul of undocumented wildlife, including 27 Mollucan Cockatoos, 21 Rainbow Lorikeets, 26 Red Lories, and several marsupials such as Northern and Common Spotted Cuscus.
By 4:40 PM, the team transported the boat and its crew to Montserrat Fish Port for further investigation. The individuals were handed over to local police for inquest proceedings, while the illegal wildlife was turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for safekeeping and proper handling.
The motorized banca remains in the custody of the Coast Guard Sub-station Gov Gen for further investigation. Authorities are continuing their probe into the illegal wildlife trade in the region.
The operation underscores ongoing efforts to enforce wildlife protection laws and combat illegal trafficking of endangered species in the country.