Village chair to lead king Cobra hunting in Makilala

MAKILALA, North Cotabato - The Local Government Unit of Barangay Kisante here will launch a manhunt operation, not against criminals, but against King Cobra” or locally known as banakon”after a grandmother has died due to snake bite last week.Anaclito Abing, Barangay Kisante chairperson, said a 57-year old grandmother was harvesting star apple fruits in her farm when attacked by banakon” which caused her death. Abing said he already issued an order urging his constituents to join in the clean up drive and manhunt against the beast they suspected hiding within the Bulatukan River. We will do this to spare our children and our constituents from any future snake attacks,” Abing said. Abing suspected that the snakes have sought refuge in the river banks following the destruction of its naturalhabitat due to land conversion and development in the mountainous areas of the village. We should accept the fact that banana plantations are sproutingin our place which might have forcedthese creatures to look for safer place and this time near the populace,” Abing said. The chairperson said since last year at least three of his constituents died due to snake bite. He also disclosed that three snakes measuring at least eight feet long and more or less 8 to 10 kilos had been killed by the constituents when it tried to attack backyard animals. The village chair also appealed to neighboring villages to also conduct manhunt operation against these beasts to also protect their constituents. Let us unite. I know that this is not an easy job but we need to do it for ourselves and our people in the barangay,” Abing appealed. Last year, at least three members of the indigenous peoples were killed by snake attacks in the hinterlands of Magpet town. An ambulance carrying patient to Kidapawan City was also attacked by banakon” while traversing the Magpet-Kidapawan highway. Abing believed that these creatures are starting to move from one place to another due to severe heat and habitat destruction due to developments in the countryside.