Store ‘stops’ ASF Task Force from seizing meat products

CEBU, Philippines — One meat establishment in Mandaue City reportedly attempted to “resist” the confiscation of its pork supply by the Cebu Provincial Asian Swine Fever Task Force.

Dr. Rose Vincoy, the Cebu Provincial Veterinarian, disclosed yesterday that Baliwag Liempo made an attempt to hinder the confiscation of pork from Luzon, saying that their stored meat was clean and ASF-free.

“Di man mosugot nga i-confiscate kay limpyo daw kuno to, but sa Executive Order 16, basta processed, canned or unsa nga baboy, kinahanglan siya dapat i-confiscate,” Vincoy said.

During the ASF Task Force operations last October 16, two teams conducted separate operations in Lapu-Lapu and Cordova, and Mandaue City.

During an inspection in Baliwag Liempo in Mandaue, City, the ASF Task Force discovered that the establishment lacked ample documents for their stored meat products.

This prompted members of the task force to conduct a thorough inspection of the place. Upon looking into the store’s freezer, they uncovered 1.2 tons of pork and chicken meat reportedly sourced from Pasig City.

The SWAT was later deployed to the establishment after the manager refused to cooperate with the task force. Part of the meat confiscated was also the poultry stored along the meat from Pasig.

At present, there is a pending appeal to the Office of the Governor from Baliwag to spare the chicken meat.

“Ang position sa NMIS (National Meat Inspection Service) is that there is already a co-mingling… kung naa man guy co-mingling sa storage di man gud ka ka-assure,” Vincoy added.

Baliwag has also reportedly presented a Certificate of Meat Inspection proving that the meat from Pasig was originally sourced abroad.

However, Vincoy remained firm saying that there is also a high possibility of co-mingling with local meat from Luzon in the storage facility in Pasig.

“Ingon sila, Certificate of Meat Inspection kay… imported daw ilang mga products. Pero sa ato man gud, we follow the Executive Order 16, so whether there is a co-mingling or not basta gikan siya sa Luzon… banned siya. Dapat siya i-confiscate,” Vincoy said.

To recall, there is an ongoing total ban against pork and pork products from Luzon and twenty two ASF-infected countries in the effort to prevent an ASF breach in Cebu. (FREEMAN)