AECEN Supports First Wildlife Crime Workshop for Judges, Prosecutors in the Philippines.
The Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), in support of the USAID-funded ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), hosted the first national "Judiciary Workshop on Wildlife Crime and Prosecution" at the PHILJA Development Center, Tagaytay City, Philippines from May 10-11, 2007. Participants were judges and prosecutors from areas identified by the Philippine government as wildlife crime hotspots, such as Metro Manila and the provinces of Davao, Palawan, General Santos, and Saranggani. Speakers came from the U.S. Department of Justice, Supreme Court of Indonesia, USAID, the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN), and the U.S. Embassy. The ASEAN Secretariat was represented by Tatik Hafidz, Senior Officer in Charge of ASEAN cooperation in combating transnational crime. The workshop focused on prosecution, investigation, sharing of best practices, Philippine laws on wildlife crime, local and transnational cooperation with other agencies, and ASEAN-wide initiatives on the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. The workshop also aimed to further develop and demonstrate the importance of an informed judiciary in the prosecution of illegal wildlife traders. Results of this training will guide the development of upcoming ASEAN-WEN trainings in Indonesia and other ASEAN countries. |
