Over 200 kilos of hot meat from Mindanao seized

CEBU, Philippines - More than 200 kilos of hot meat from Misamis Occidental were yesterday seized by the Cebu City Veterinarian’s Office.

CVO head Dr. Alice Utlang, in a report over dyAB, said that they received a tip from Plaridel, Misamis Occidental that a haul of “double dead meat” is on board Don Martin 8 and was set to arrive in the morning of yesterday.

Very early, Utlang disposed a team headed by Edwin Gagani, a deputized meat inspector to watch for the arrival of the ship and to carry out an operation.

As expected, the vessel arrived at around 8 a.m. yesterday and immediately the team conducted a search.

At the cargo section, the team found the meat placed in an ice bucket buried under boxes of saw dusts.

They immediately brought the haul to the Veterinary Quarantine Division where it was tested and proven to be double dead.

“Luspad kaayo ang baboy,” according to Utlang in the said radio report.

No one came forward to claim the confiscated hot meat cargoes which were immediately brought to the Cebu City Zoo to be given as food to the baby tiger there.

The incident was also recorded at the Waterfront Police Station.

Just last week, police authorities in Manila were alerted of hot meat which are now brought to Metro Manila markets using passenger buses to avoid confiscation by police officers who usually focus on private delivery vehicles.

The alert came after they confiscated over a ton of hot meat from the province entering Manila. – Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)