Cousins bashed online over handling of tarsiers in South Cotabato

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is investigating the two men who went viral online after they caught two tarsiers in South Cotabato.

In a report by Abbey Caballero of GMA regional TV One Mindanao on “24 Oras,” the two men, who were cousins, seemed happy to touch the two tarsiers in the video taken in Barangay Maligo, Polomolok, South Cotabato.

 One of them, Ryan Parreño, explained that they only moved the tarsiers because they were cleaning the area of their relative’s farm where the tarsiers were found. 

“Malapit namin silang matamaan ng bolo. Sabi ko, kunin na lang natin, I-transfer natin sa ibang area.’ kinuha namin, walang isang oras, nailipat na,” said Ryan Parreño in Bisaya. 

(We almost hit them with a bolo. I said, let’s just take them and transfer them to another area.’ We took them, and in less than an hour, it was transferred.)

The tarsiers have also been released which can also be seen in the uploaded video.

But the incident did not please the netizens.

Parreño apologized for his actions.

“Humihingi ako ng tawad sa mga nangba-bash. Kung para sa inyo mali ang ginawa ko pero para sa akin tama ang ginawa ko kasi kung hinayaan ko lang sila doon, wala na silang matitirahan,” he said. 

(I apologize to the bashers. If  what I did was wrong to you, for me it was right because if I just left them there, they would have nowhere to live.)

Meanwhile, the DENR-Soccsksargen is already investigating the incident and discussing its next steps.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News