DENR-7, NBI team to check legal docs of religious items, icons made of ivory

By Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, Oct 3 (PIA) -- A government investigating team will look into the reported religious items and icons created from elephant tusks. 

“We should determine whether these pieces allegedly taken from ivory tusks have the needed certifications or permits from appropriate agencies,” DENR-7 Executive Director Isabelo Montejo Montejo added. 

The joint team composed of personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the DENR will also coordinate with the National Museum to know whether these items were created prior to 1981, Montejo said. 

It was in 1981 that the Philippines became a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), according to Montejo. 

This is an international agreement between governments to ensure the international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. 

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) and theNBI has met to establish the necessary protocols for a joint field investigation. 

“Our agreement with NBI is to invite certain persons who are allegedly involved as mentioned in the National Geographic report,” Montejo said. 

He added the investigation is not directed at the Church but other individuals or shops perceived to be holding possessions of these items including those in the three provinces of Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. 

“DENR has started coordinating with the National Museum as it does not have the capability or competence to qualify these pieces as antique or not,” Montejo siad. 

An inventory on items made of ivory will be conducted in other shops or malls. 

The organizational meeting on September 27 in the office of Montejo was attended by two officials from NBI-7 including its Regional Director Edward Villarta; Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Cebu Richard Abella; Protected Areas and Wildlife Division staff Jose Layese Jr., and Ariel Rica. (mbcn/hfg-PIA 7/DENR-7)