City seizes hogs sold on roadside

CEBU, Philippines - The personnel of the City Hall’s Market Operations Division confiscated 18 hogs that were being displayed beside Lakandula Street near the San Nicolas Church Wednesday afternoon.

Market administrator Raquel Arce said because it is the first that the hog dealers were apprehended, she just asked them to pay P9,000 as fine but with a stern warning that if they get caught again, the City Hall will no longer release their hogs.

Arce’s office responded to the complaint of some vendors in Taboan Market against the activities of said hog dealers who display their livestock along B. Aranas and Lakandula Streets.

When the MOD received the complaint, the hog dealers have already left B. Aranas corner Lakandula Streets and have moved several meters away but it is still beside the road. Arce said selling or displaying hogs beside the road is considered illegal and contrary to the provisions of the Sanitary Code.

“Kon makakita ang mga tawo og mga mamaligya og baboy sa karsada pahibaw-a lang ko ninyo kay akong i-confiscate ang ilang mga baligyang baboy,” said Arce.

She did not make any comment when asked on why Noel Artes, the head of the City Hall’s Squatters Prevention Encroachment Elimination Division (SPEED), failed to comply with his promise to the media to do something against the illegal vendors.

Although the hog dealers denied the reports that the SPEED allows them to sell their products on the roadside, somebody informed The FREEMAN that the reason why the SPEED personnel cannot take action against them is because the hog dealers give them “aslononon.”

Displaying of live hogs beside the road, even if the area is a public market, is contrary to the provisions of the Sanitary Code of Cebu City, aside from the fact that the pig pens can obstruct the flow of traffic.

“Bisan og asa pa sila mobalhin pag-display sa ilang mga baboy basta anha gihapon sa karsada supak gihapon sa balaod. Apil kana sa gitahas sa mayor nako nga akong aksyonan,” Arce told The FREEMAN.  (FREEMAN)