Tarlac hog farms on shabu watchlist

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao has ordered the Tarlac police and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) to monitor piggery farms in the province which shabu syndicates might be using as fronts.

Lomibao issued the order following reports that Chinese nationals involved in shabu manufacturing were using piggery farms to ply their illegal trade.

Reports said shabu packs are concealed in the bellies of pigs to allow them to be transported to Manila undetected.

Chinese nationals reportedly own a number of piggery farms in Tarlac.

Police records showed that one of these hog farms was raided sometime in 2000 by a team of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Narcotics Command.  

Charges of possession of prohibited drugs were filed against the owner, a Chinese national, who, however, later posted bail. The case was subsequently dismissed in March 2004.

Another piggery farm was raided in 1999. A case was also filed against its owner, but it was similarly dismissed in November 2001.