A big reptile was captured by motor pool personnel of the bus terminal in Barangay Buhang, Jaro, Iloilo City Tuesday.

The scary scenario prompted panicky passengers to leave the bus terminal for a while for fear they might be bitten by the snake once it gets loose from the custody of its captors.

The 18-foot long snake, as big as the thigh of a regular built person, was seen by a backhoe operator slowly creeping in the canal at the motor pool compound over the weekend.

The backhoe operator prevented the escape of the slow moving reptile with the use of the backhoe before fellow motor pool personnel captured the animal without danger of possible harm to its captors and the riding public in the bus terminal.

Its head was securely covered to prevent the animal from inflicting harm before it was turned over to the custody of the wildlife division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office for proper disposition and identification of its specie.*PNA