The controversial Barangay Captain who became an online sensation when a photo of himself sitting on a leatherback sea turtle was cleared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The DENR does hold the village official liable for his act although netizens were enraged with his gestures that went viral on Facebook.
In an official statement released to the media, DENR assistant regional director for technical services, Carlo Tuballa was quoted as saying “He was happy to see a giant turtle, which was why he had his picture taken with the turtle. It’s the intent. He did not harm or hurt the turtle,” said Carlo Tuballa.
The former Barangay official Jose Lastimado, did not mean to harm the sea creature according to Tuballa. Without this intent, he pointed out, Lastimado would have been charged with violating Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which carries a penalty of six months’ imprisonment and a fine of P20,000.
The leatherback sea turtle is considered as the largest among turtles in the world, it was caught in a net owned by fisherman Jessy Amora around 1:30 AM on August 5, 2015. The incident took place more than one kilometer from the shore of Pinamintinan, in the Marabut town, Samar Province.