BAGUIO CITY – Some 502 kilos of expired and double dead meat were successively confiscated by personnel of the city veterinary office in various parts of the city public market last week.
Dr. Brigit Piok, city veterinarian, said the confiscated mishandled meat is composed of 452 kilos of imported chicken and 52 kilos of double dead pork which were about to be sold to the public in different parts of the public market.
During the conduct of routine inspection at the city public market, Piok cited that the confiscated frozen quarter legs were loaded in a cart with no accompanying documents and the said products were expired considering that the expiration date contained therein was September 29, 2015.
“It was also observed that these items were already thawed. Which is a clear violation of the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 10536 or An Act Amending RA 9296 otherwise known as the Meat Inspection code of the Philippines, RA 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 6, series of 2012or the Rules and Regulations on Hygenic Handling of Chilled, Frozen and Thawed Meat in Meat Markets and City Tax Ordinance No. 2012-01 series of 2012,”Piok added.
On the other hand, Piok cited the 52 kilos double dead meat were confiscated at the Kagitingan satellite market.
Based on the city veterinary office report, one of the helpers of Mr. Rommel Navarro went to the city veterinary office to get a meat inspection certificate of one head carcas delivered to the stall of a certain Mr. Ben galing at the Kagitingan satellite market.
According to the report, it was mentioned by the helper of Mr. Rommel Navarro that the said hog was slaughtered the night before at the livestock auction market.
However, Dr. Narcisa B. Guminigin, Veterenarian IV, said that she did not issue the requested certificate but rather coordinated with the meat inspectors on duty at the city public market to go and inspect the said carcas.
Dr. Bernadette C. Pedro immediately went to Kagitingan satellite market and after inspection, she found out that the said carcass was a double dead meat or so-called ‘botcha’ currently displayed and being offered for sale at the stall of Galing.
She immediately confiscated the double dead meat due to violation of various laws and related rules and regulations.
The confiscated expired chicken quarter legs and expired pork were immediately buried by personnel of the city veterinary office at the Baguio Dairy Farm area.
Piok appealed to the public to continue providing their office with vital information regarding the presence of expired, double dead and mishandled meat being sold by unscrupulous vendors in the different parts of the city public market so that the same could be immediately confiscated and prevented from being sold to willing buyers that would subsequently compromise their health condition.
By Dexter A. See
