- GILBERT BAYORAN
A month after its massive information drive against the ban on the entry of live pigs and pork-related products to Negros Occidental due to threats of African Swine Fever (ASF) to its P6 billion hog industry, Provincial Veterinarian, Dr. Placeda Lemana, said Wednesday that they will start imposing penalties to violators.
From Nov. 7 to 13, Lemana reported that 422.55 kilos of pork meat and its related products, with a market value of P167,671, were seized in various ports in Negros Occidental. Bulk of the seizure was made at Bredco and Banago ports in Bacolod City, and the contraband came from Iloilo.
ASF cases have already been detected in five towns of Iloilo province.
As stated in the anti-ASF ordinance of Negros Occidental, the penalties for violators range from P1,000 to P5,000, as well as imprisonment of six months to one year.
But the penalties for those arrested in Bacolod City are much higher, at P2,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 for the third offense, Lemana said.
“We now have reason to implement the penalties,” she added since it has been a month since the conduct of massive information drive against the ASF and the ban on the entry of swine and pork products from Panay and Guimaras islands.
The Philippine National Police and its Maritime Command, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard are augmenting the ASF task forces in guarding the ports and coastal areas of the province, to prevent the entry of ASF-infected swine and pork products./GB
