DLNR to suspend DFW officer arrested for alleged possession of green sea turtle

The Department of Lands and Natural Resources said it is working on the suspension of the conservation officer from the Division of Fish and Wildlife who was arrested on charges of possession of an endangered/threatened species.

Conservation officer Alvin Fitial along with three other suspects were served over the weekend their arrest warrants issued by Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho on charges of possession an endangered species, in this case, green sea turtles

“Now that he’s been formally indicted, we’re now working on his suspension,” DLNR Secretary Richard Seman told Saipan Tribune.

Seman said Fitial has been with DLNR for at least 15 years before he moved off-island and returned to Saipan last year. He served again at the department.

“At that time we were hiring officers,” Seman said.

Seman said he has reached out to Fitial “out of courtesy” and “in trying to inform him of the seriousness of the allegation.”

“Unfortunately, we have to do what we have to do. Even though he’s one of us we have to make the arrest,” Seman said.

However, Seman said he is not sure what happened to the turtle that was allegedly taken by Fitial.

“I am not sure what happened to it,” Seman said, “They will be investigating about it so we’ll probably know more about it.”

The other two turtles, however, were sold on a “personal purchase,” according to Seman.

“I’m not sure if they are already consumed because we didn’t recover any of the turtle,” Seman said.

A report stated that Fitial allegedly took one of the three green sea turtles caught by fishermen Anthony Pangelinan, Jeffrey Iguel Teigita, Vicente Aldan Sablan, and Richard Anthony Tenorio after he responded to the scene at the Saipan port after receiving a call from Commonwealth Ports Authority police last February.

It stated that when Fitial arrived at the scent and after talking to one of the fishermen, Teigita, who was revealed as Fitial’s uncle, Teigita instructed to transfer one turtle from the pickup truck to the DFW vehicle operated by Fitial.

Seman said they “continue to do so” finding the green sea turtle that was said to be taken by Ftial but they will let “justice take care of itself.”

Seman said aside from violating local law, those involved may also be punished through the federal law they violated.

“Because it’s a federal offense, there’s nothing that’s stopping the federal from prosecuting them as well,” Seman said.

Seman said they need to “engage their officers more frequent and constantly remind them of the need for them to uphold the law entrusted to them and do that more frequent than before.”

“Sometimes they lose touch,” Seman said.

In the pre-Commonwealth period, turtles are a primary source of protein in the islands. However, this has changed especially after local and federal laws were enacted.

Green sea turtles are listed as an endangered species and their subpopulation in the Mediterranean is listed as critically endangered.