Davao City (CNN Philippines) — It has been more than three weeks since Philippine Eagle Pamana was shot dead at the Mount Hamiguitan range in Davao Oriental, yet authorities still have no lead on the identity of the person responsible.
The reward for any information that would lead to the identification and arrest of Pamana’s killer has already reached P650,000.
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ has reportedly offered P50,000, while the Fraternal Order of Eagles had also contacted the Davao Region office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to pledge an additional P100,000.
Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon and businessman Philip “Sonny” Dizon had earlier committed P50,000 each, while a television host pledged P100,000, with another P100,000 from DENR-Central and P200,000 from the Uy Ching Siong Cang family.
Related: PEF calls for better law enforcement after Pamana’s death
On Wednesday (September 2), DENR 11 Director Marcus Joseph Fragada, however, said that he personally believes that Pamana’s release last June 12 near a farm community in San Isidro town placed the eagle at risk.
Fragada said it would have been better had Pamana been released right in the middle of Mount Hamiguitan instead of on the fringes. He said the area where Pamana was freed is a farm community and that, since her release, the eagle did not fly farther away, thus putting her in danger due to her proximity to the area.
Fragada said the DENR had also released two eagles in the past in the middle of the forest where there were no residents. The two eagles have so far survived in the wild.
Ruel Colong, protected area superintendent of the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, confirmed that based on their investigation and with the aid of a global positioning system equipment, Pamana was released outside the range.
The DENR investigation is also looking into the sufficiency of the preparation during Pamana’s release, the physical condition of the eagle at the time of release and the conservation plan after the release.
Colong said there was also inadequate coordination between the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and the DENR when Pamana’s transmitter went into mortality mode on August 10. He said the PEF did not ask for immediate assistance from the DENR until such time the eagle’s carcass was found on August 16.
Related: Metal fragments found inside Pamana’s body, says DENR
