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Philippine tribal leaders will try man for killing endangered eagle
Leaders of a Philippine tribal community have taken into custody a man who confessed to killing an endangered Philippine eagle.
- AP
- Published: 23:16 July 18, 2008
Manila: Leaders of a Philippine tribal community have taken into custody a man who confessed to killing an endangered Philippine eagle.
The bird's dismembered remains were found in a park in the southern Philppines on Sunday, four months after it was released back into the wild following treatment for a gunshot wound.
Park warden Felix Mirasol said yesterday that Higaonon community leaders were allowed to take the suspect, Brian Bala-on, into custody.
Mirasol said the tribal leaders will deal with the suspect in accordance with their justice system.
Bala-on, a 22-year-old vegetable farmer, was seen carrying an air-gun at a vegetable farm where the eagle was shot.
He later confessed to shooting the eagle, saying he thought it was a hawk.
Philippines offers reward for information leading to killer of endangered eagle
About 800 of the giant birds, also known as monkey-eating eagles, are believed to remain in the Philippines, where deforestation and poaching threaten their survival.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation, which runs captive breeding programmes, said its workers found the dismembered remains of the young male named Kagsabua in Mount Kitanglad Natural Park on southern Mindanao island.
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