Ecija gov't creates tasks force vs meat smuggling

PALAYAN CITY - The provincial government has mobilized a special team "to prevent by all means" the possible entry of allegedly "tainted" frozen pork which formed part of a smuggled P40-million pork shipment from China which disappeared on Nov. 9 at the North Harbor in Manila and mysteriously landed in some places in Tarlac and Pampanga.

In this connection, Vice-Gov. Mariano Cristino "Boyet" Joson, immediately formed a composite team - named "Hoof and Mouth Disease task force" - composed of the provincial offices of the veterinary, agriculturist, health to monitor the entry and sale of frozen meat products which might be used in processing meat products as ham, sausages and others for sale this coming Christmas season.

He had also sought the assistance of the provincial police office, under Nueva Ecija police director, Senior Superintendent Alex Paul Monteagudo, to prevent the entry here of the hot meat.

"Tayo na nga lang sa buong Asia at sa buong mundo ang hindi tinatamaan ng bird flu. Kailangang tanggihan ang ganitong uri ng pagkain na maaaring 'tainted' with animal disease," Joson stressed.

It was learned that the pork shipment had no import permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry and no veterinary quarantine clearance. Consigned to the Asia Golden Arc marketing and brokered by SM Estrada, the hot cargo was earlier ordered confiscated after it was found "misdeclared as frozen mackerel." Originating from China, the shipment was stored at the Sigma Warehouse at the Harbor Center at the North Harbor I Manila after the same was seized by Customs authorities on Sept. 1. Joson had directed the personnel of the veterinary, and police offices to conduct thorough inspections of cargo trucks that might be used in transporting the hot items into the province.

Joson justified his action saying that there is a government ban on the importation of frozen meat from other Asian countries as China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, North Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam "to prevent the entry into the Philippines of the dreaded bird flu and other animal diseases."-Magtanggol C. Vilar