Three employees of a resort in Quezon were arrested after allegedly stealing and butchering a rare arapaima valued at about P7 million, police said.
The incident occurred Monday at Costa Solano Resort and Leisure Park in Barangay Bantigue.
According to investigators, the suspects allegedly took the giant freshwater fish from the resort’s fishpond and brought it to a house within the resort compound, where they butchered it. Police said they allegedly planned to divide and eat the fish.
The theft was discovered after a witness reportedly saw the suspects butchering the fish and informed the resort’s foreman and security personnel, leading to the suspects’ arrest.
Authorities said the recovered arapaima weighed about 90 kilograms, measured approximately 6.7 feet in length and was estimated to be 25 years old.
Native to South America, the arapaima is considered one of the world’s largest freshwater fish species and can grow to about 200 kilograms and up to 10 feet long.
