27-kg hot meat seized in Bacolod City
Credit to Author: EUGENE Y. ADIONG| Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 16:46:39 +0000
BACOLOD CITY: At least 27 kilograms (kg) worth of ‘hot meat’ were seized by members of the city’s Task Force Botagoy at the Burgos Public Market in Bacolod City, Tuesday.
Task Force Botagoy head Edward Martin Pinaga said the seized pork products were imported and displayed at a butcher shop even though these were already emitting foul odor.
Pinaga said since the meat products were imported, these should have been kept in the freezer to avoid spoilage.
He added the seized meat products were brought to the city’s slaughterhouse in Barangay Handumanan and were immediately buried.
Pinaga said they were strictly carrying out meat inspections in the city’s markets because of the threat posed by the African swine fever (ASF).
Earlier this week, the Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) was placed on heightened alert after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that hog samples taken from pig farms in Luzon tested positive for ASF.
The PVO also released an order last month ordering the removal of Chinese pork products from major grocery stores in Bacolod City.
Among the brands ordered to be removed from market shelves include Narcissus, Heaven Temple, Ma Ling, Shabu Shabu, Sol Primo, Wang Taste of Korea, Highway, Sky Dragon and Weilin.
Negros Occidental Provincial Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko urged the public to report Chinese pork products on sale at local markets.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson urged Negrenses not to bring pork from outside the province.
“If you have relatives coming, we ask them not to bring in pork. Buy local pork,” Lacson said.