Photo courtesy of Mike Zarate
LA UNION - A 12-foot reticulated python fell from the ceiling of a motorcycle parts shop in Bauang, La Union Thursday.
Shop owner Leandro June Hidalgo Jr., said he was previously being disturbed by noises coming from his ceiling and thought that he was being haunted by ghosts.
He also thought that the sounds may have been from items in his shop falling from their places, and ignored them until they became louder.
"Eh madaling araw kanina nagising ako, may kumalabog dito. Akala ko yung mga gulong. Inilaw ko tinignan ko wala. Tapos yung pangalawang paghiga ko may tumunog ulit, nung inilaw ko ulit, nung biglang gumalaw, ahas na."
The python, which weighed 15 kilograms, was turned over by the Bauang Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Forest Ranger Omar Ali explained that the snake may have been washed to a nearby drainage canal.
The python was brought to Botanical Garden in San Fernando City, La Union for safekeeping.
Pythons are considered vulnerable species, and can be found in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' red list.
People who are caught harming the species can face imprisonment ranging from one month and one day to three months and could face levies ranging from P 5,000 to P20,000.