Senate mulls harsher penalties for 'botcha' traders

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate committee on agriculture and food is studying measures to curb the trade in “double dead” or tainted meat, committee chairman Sen. Francis Pangilinan said yesterday.

He has filed Senate Bill 2612, which seeks to amend the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines and prescribe stiffer penalties. He said the committee is eyeing imposing fines of P50,000 to P200,000 and a sentence of six to 12 years from the current fine of a maximum of P5,000 and six months’ jail time.

“We think that these penalties are appropriate for this crime as lives are being endangered here with this unscrupulous practice,” Pangilinan said.

He hopes the stricter penalties would give the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) and police much needed “teeth” to curb the trade in “hot meat.”