seized at Bredco Port

At least five tons of imported pork, valued at P500,000, was seized Wednesday afternoon after a vehicle was intercepted at Bacolod City’s Bredco port. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, together with officials from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) and the National Meat Inspection Service, led the operation.
PVO head, Dr. Renante Decena, said the pork products, which were intended for transport to Iloilo from Cebu City, originated from Germany. While Germany currently has no confirmed African swine fever cases, officials said pork products from the European nation are banned in the Philippines.
He added, cases have been recorded in Poland, which borders Germany.
Aside from not having a shipping permit, the driver was also inconsistent with his statement to authorities and claimed the products were going to be dropped off in Manapla while he was heading for Iloilo.
Upon checking with counterparts in Cebu, authorities discovered the shipment was originally meant for Bacolod.
After conducting a full inventory, PVO immediately burned and buried the pork products at the Bredco Port.
Earlier this week, PVO was placed on heightened alert after the Department of Agriculture confirmed on Monday that hog samples taken from pig farms in Luzon tested positive for African swine fever.
The Department of Agriculture was also reported to have already culled hundreds of hogs in the affected areas in a bid to prevent the virus from further spreading.
Based on studies conducted by veterinarians outside the Philippines, the infection is believed to originate from ornithodoros, a type of soft-bodied tick.
Hogs are infected after they are bitten by the tick, which then contaminates their blood.
The virus has no effect on humans but there is a need for strict monitoring at airports and seaports in order to prevent the virus from entering the country./DGB, WDJ