FREED. The Oriental Darter, an endangered bird specie, is released by military and tourism officials on Monday (May 3) in the marshland of Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun town in Maguindanao. (Photo courtesy of 33rd IB)
GENERAL S. K. PENDATUN, Maguindanao -- Military and tourism officials freed Monday a captured Oriental Darter, one of the endangered bird species, back to the wild in the Maguindanao marshland.
"No bird was born to live in a cage. Oriental Darter was saved, rescued and released (to) where it belonged," said 1Lt. Mary Grace Orden, the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (33IB) civil-military operations officer.
Orden and Tacurong City Tourism Officer Emelie Jamorabon led the sending back to the wild of the endangered bird.
The marshland in Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Maguindanao has been transformed by the military into a bird watching area after learning that the marshland had been the endangered bird’s sanctuary.
The area used to be the bailiwick of Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), but the 33IB managed to convince the militants to surrender and receive livelihood assistance from the government. (PNA)
