Filipino father, son jailed, fined for possessing protected turtles’ parts

TAWAU: A Filipino father and son were sentenced to three years’ jail and fined RM100,000 each, in default one year’s jail by the Sessions Court here yesterday for possessing chest shells and marginal scales of protected turtles.

Sessions Court judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud passed the sentence on Tambisan bin Pagal, 52, and Tambulang bin Tambisan, 38, after they pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 41(1) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, which carries a fine of not less than RM50,000 and not more than RM250,000 and an imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than five years.

The accused were found in possession of 17.5kg chest shells of plastron turtles and 4.5kg of marginal scales of green turtles, which are protected species.

The father and son, from Sitangkai Island, Philippines, committed the offence on October 14, 2018 at about 4.30am in the waters off Kg. Labuan Haji, Bum-Bum Island , Semporna.

Prosecuting officer from the Wildlife Department Abdul Karim Hj Dakog in mitigation pressed for a deterrent sentence as a lesson to the accused and others.

Judge Awang said if poaching activity was not curbed, wildlife would be extinct and it was cruel to cause the turtles to suffer.

Tambisan (second left) andTambulang (second right) being led away byWildlife Department personnel after they were jailed three years and fined RM100,000 each yesterday.