Dar: Probe agri officials involved in ‘hot meat’ transport

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary William Dar has ordered the investigation of some Department of Agriculture (DA) officials reportedly conniving with importers in transporting meat products without the necessary permits.

“There [were] incidents [when] they were transporting meat without veterinarian health certificates. We confiscated, burned and buried that,” Dar said. “This cannot be tolerated in the department.”

On Monday, the National Meat Inspection Service seized 15 tons of smuggled meat in Binondo, Manila, which reportedly came from swine fever-infected China.

Veterinary Inspection Board officer in charge Alberto Bordeus said the bulk of the confiscated meat in Manila included duck and pork, while the rest were identified as chicken, beef, lamb, fish and seaweeds.

The meat products, estimated to be worth more than P200 million, were said to be expired but were repackaged and sold in the market.

In a phone interview, Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla said most of the hot meat that the agency had failed to intercept were often mixed in other legitimate products.