37 smuggled, live pigs intercepted in SanRem, Cebu
At least 37 live hogs will be subjected to euthanasia after authorities discovered that the livestock came from an area with a history of confirmed case of African Swine Fever (ASF). | Photo courtesy of the Provincial Veterinarian Office via Sugbo News
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 37 live pigs shipped from Masbate province will be euthanized after they were smuggled into Cebu province, authorities confirmed.
The Provincial Veterinary Office said law enforcers in San Remigio town, northern Cebu intercepted a truck carrying live hogs on Monday dawn, Nov. 14 after the transporters failed to present permits and other necessary documents needed that would allow them to move the live pigs around the province.
Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy, provincial veterinarian, said they later discovered that the pigs came from Masbate province, one of the areas in the country hit by the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF).
Vincoy said the pigs were transported via pumpboat from Masbate and docked in San Remigio town.
“Ang initial namo nga report from Bantayan. But unusual man if from Bantayan kay we asked man the papers. Kay wala may mga documents nganong ma-move. Mao to walay moangkon, unya sa tantong pangutana, gikan gyud siya sa Masbate ang pumpboat,” she told reporters.
(The initial report is that these came from Bantayan. But it was unusual if from Bantayan because we asked them the papers and they have no documents to explain why they are moving these live pigs. Then nobody would now own up to it, and eventually through questioning them, we found out that the pumpboat carrying the pigs came from Masbate.
The pigs are still held in the area near where the pumpboat docked them in Brgy. Bancasan as of this posting.
Citing initial investigations from law enforcers, Vincoy said the transporters of the hogs were unaware that Cebu province’s ban on shipping live pigs from Luzon is still in effect.
“They thought nga makalabang labang na ba, mao na gikan buntag gipagawas naa nay mga police,” said Vincoy.
(They thought that they can cross the sea to deliver the pigs, that is why in the morning, when they were ready to release the pigs, the police were already there.)
“Giinform sad nato sa Office of the Mayor (in San Remigio)… Gipa-final pa ang mga affidavit unya para sa euthanasia kay mahadlok mi mogawas,” she added.
(We informed the Office of the Mayor (in San Remigio)…We had the affidavit finalized for the euthanasia because we are afraid to go out.)
ASF, a highly contagious disease, affects live pigs.
Since 2019, Cebu province has banned the importation of pigs, pork products, and byproducts from Luzon, where Masbate is located, due to threats of ASF. Masbate, two years later or in 2021, recorded their first ASF.
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