PANIQUI, Tarlac (Jan. 25, 2024) — Look where you take a leak.
Jay-R Bungay, 27, from Brgy. Sampot here died after succumbing to a suspected cobra bite as he was relieving himself outside their house.
According to the victim’s father, Reynaldo, the victim was able to tell them that he (Jar-R) was bitten by a snake on the foot.
“Lumabas siya para umihi, pagkapasok niya ginising niya kami at sinabing natuklaw sya ng ahas,” Reynaldo said.
The victim was rushed to the hospital but was not able to survive the bite. The suspected snake was caught from underneath the house of the Bungays five days after Jay-R was buried.
The cobra was placed inside a sack and struck until it died.
According to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Tarlac, it is illegal to kill wildlife animals under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
PENRO reminded the public that, whenever possible, individuals should surrender captured snakes to their office.
The local authorities and environmental agencies stress the need for responsible handling of encounters with snakes and other wildlife. Rather than resorting to lethal measures, individuals are encouraged to report such incidents to the proper authorities.
The Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis), also called Philippine spitting cobra or northern Philippine cobra, is a stocky, highly venomous species of spitting cobra native to the northern regions of the Philippines.
