DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 20 July) – Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy M. Gonzaga has offered a cash reward of P50,000 for any information on the identity and whereabouts of the person who killed Philippine Eagle “Mangayon” in Compostela town, Davao de Oro.
In a statement Friday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao (DENR-Davao) said Gonzaga wanted the individual responsible for the death of the raptor held liable.
Troops from the Philippine Army found the weak raptor last July 8 with a gunshot wound in its left wing. It died at 9:49 p.m. on the same day at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEF) in Davao City where it was brought for treatment due to severe blood loss.
Gonzaga urged the public to help safeguard wildlife so that other species will not suffer the same fate as Mangayon’s.
The statement said the provincial governor and DENR-Davao strongly condemned the killing of the Philippine Eagle and vowed to strongly work with law enforcement agencies to determine the identity of the perpetrator.
It said any person who has information about the identity of the assailant may contact Jhonitz King P. Isaac of the DENR-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office through 09276448394 or through e-mail at [email protected].
A necropsy conducted on Mangayon showed that it was a healthy male eagle with all internal organs in good condition. The primary cause of death was “severe blood loss from the wounds in the left wing, with a high probability of sepsis stemming from the injuries.”
According to PEF, “Mangayon” was already the 20th Philippine Eagle rescued since 2020, and the fourth eagle rescue this year.
“Lipadas” was rescued in Mount Apo last January while “Kalatungan” and “Nariha Kabugao” were rescued in Bukidnon and Apayao, respectively, last March.
The Philippine Eagle, the national bird, is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as a critically endangered species. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
