3 trucks with live pigs barred from entering Pangasinan

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan –– Local health and meat officials on Wednesday barred the entry of a truck carrying 30 live pigs from Bulacan province.

The livestock truck registered to one Louie Mendoza from Pandi, Bulacan was intercepted in front of an abattoir in Mangaldan town.

Authorities said the swine did not have veterinary health certificates and shipping permits from Bulacan.

Some areas in Bulacan and Rizal provinces are suspected to be infected by the African swine fever virus.

But officials of the Department of Agriculture would neither confirm nor deny reports that the virus has entered the country.

In Pozorrubio town, police on Wednesday also intercepted two trucks loaded with pigs from Tarlac province.

Police said one of the trucks was bound for Baguio City.

Both trucks were turned over to the Animal Quarantine Office in Asan Sur village for proper disposition.

The provincial government of Pangasinan earlier declared a temporary ban on the entry of pigs from other provinces to prevent contamination of the local swine and protect the public from the ill effects of the disease./lzb