BACOLOD CITY – The city government of Cadiz in Negros Occidental is offering a P20,000 reward to anyone who can provide vital information leading to the arrest and prosecution of people responsible for the poaching of giant clams near Lakawon Island.

Authorities discovered on Christmas Day that 33 bivalves giant clams were forcibly taken from the 9.2-hectare Giant Clam Village (GC Ville), a protected marine area located beside Lakawon Island in Barangay Cadiz Viejo.

The clams were reportedly extracted, butchered, and stripped of their meat, with only their empty shells left behind.

The stolen clams were part of the more than 2,000 giant clams thriving in the area, all of which are protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

There are suspects but Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said authorities are still verifying the information. He stressed that once the perpetrators are positively identified, the city will immediately file criminal charges.

Escalante condemned the act as “environmental terrorism” and described GC Ville as a cornerstone of Cadiz’s environmental protection and conservation efforts.

The mayor expressed deep disappointment over the incident, calling it a “bad Christmas gift” for the city. He questioned why some individuals continue to harm the environment by targeting what he referred to as Cadiz’s “sea treasures.”

The city has strengthened security measures at GC Ville. Sea vanguards, or Bantay Dagat operatives, will now guard the area round-the-clock to prevent similar incidents.

Escalante warned that those responsible would face severe consequences. "You gave us the hardest lesson. We will give you the hardest retribution just in case," he said.

Under Republic Act No. 10654, or the Philippine Fisheries Code, individuals found guilty of poaching or killing protected marine species may face criminal liability and fines ranging from P300,000 to P3 million.

GC Ville traces its beginnings to Ilongga Hereliza “Yhen” Osorio, a former staff member of Lakawon Island Resort. During the Coid-19 lockdown five years ago, Osorio accidentally discovered three small giant clams on the shore.

She cared for them in a glass container, which later led to support from the city agriculture office and the launch of Cadiz’s giant clam conservation program in 2021, with Osorio as its lead caretaker.

Four years later, the project has grown significantly, with Osorio overseeing the broadcast spawning and reproduction of thousands of giant clams.

Today, GC Ville is home to four species – Tridacna squamosa, Tridacna crocea, Hippopus hippopus, and Tridacna maxima.