ENVIRONMENT Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje on Wednesday warned restaurant owners and operators against serving “exotic” food on pain of being fined, closed down and possibly charged in court for violation of Republic Act 9147 also known as the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protected Act.

Paje issued the call as the DENR and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed criminal charges against the owners of a restaurant in Pasay City for allegedly servicing exotic food.

DENR-National Capital Region (NCR) Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said the case filed against the owners of Hingyak Delicious Seafood Restaurant stemmed from the confiscation of at least 4.25 kilos of wildlife derivatives, including snake skin, snake meat and chopped meat from soft-shelled turtles, in a raid conducted on January 30 by a team from the DENR-NCR, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and wildlife enforcement office of Pasay City.

The establishment was allegedly offering and serving exotic food to its customers in violation of the law. According to Tamoria, all the confiscated wildlife derivatives have been turned over to the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau for safekeeping.

The filing of the case, according to Paje, was meant to send a strong signal that the government is serious in its campaign to protect the country’s wildlife resources to maintain a balanced ecosystem.

“The reason why we have laws is to put order in our society. Our wildlife law is passed to protect our wildlife resources as they play an important role in sustaining a balanced ecology,” Paje said.

Paje also stressed that the collection, hunting or possession of wildlife, their by-products and derivatives without proper permit, are punishable under the Wildlife Act.