CORRECTION: Lacson bares indemnity ‘overpayment’ for ‘bloated’ number of culled pigs due to ASF

Senator Ping Lacson hits ‘”insatiable greed” among hog raisers. INQUIRER file photo / EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines — The government has lost at least P770,000 in indemnity funds after several local officials in a Quezon City barangay allegedly conspired to “bloat” the number of pigs culled due to the African swine fever (ASF), Senator Panfilo Lacson disclosed, citing a report from the investigation unit of the Philippine National Police.

In an INQside Look interview, Lacson said that this “modus operandi” in Brgy. Silang in Quezon City was exposed when some hog raisers complained that they were not receiving their indemnification payments.

Lacson, in a separate message to INQUIRER.net, said that the total overpayment made to 54 beneficiaries amounted to P770,000.

From the 242 actual culled pigs, the padded figure reached 360 hogs or an additional 118 pigs.

“Kaya lang nabuko kasi nagreklamo yung ibang hog raisers na hindi sila nabigyan…I got a hold of an investigation report, a referral to the Ombudsman…Inimbestigahan ng CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group),” the senator said.

(The reason this was busted was because some hog raisers complained that they were not given their indemnification payments…I got a hold of an investigation report, a referral to the Ombudsman…It was the CIDG that investigated it.)

“Pati ba naman yung bilang ng baboy namatay sa ASF, pinagkaperahan pa. Bloated. Ang nadaya nila sa gobyerno do’n sa indemnification fund,” he added.

(Even the number of dead pigs due to ASF is now a source of money to some. What they duped from the government is the indemnification fund.)

“Isa lang yung baboy na namatay, ire-report na dalawampu. E magkano isang baboy? Ang binibigay na tulong is P5,000 per dead pig,” he further said.

(Only one pig died but they will report 20. How much is given for each culled pig? It’s P5,000 per dead pig.)

According to Lacson, the CIDG filed a case on the matter before the Office of the Ombudsman last year.

The scheme allegedly involved some barangay and veterinary officials, he added, citing the CIDG investigation.

“Sila sila yung nagko-conspire para i-pad yung number of culled pigs,” Lacson said.

(They are the ones conspiring to pad the number of culled pigs.)

“So if it happened in Bagong Silang, chances are replicated ito in other parts of the country dahil ito na nga yung ginagawang modus operandi,” he said.

(So if it happened in Bagong Silang, chances are this is replicated in other parts of the country because this has become the modus operandi.)

‘Insatiable greed’

Lacson then lamented these practices as the country is already reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Meron tayong kinakaharap na health crisis, health crisis nagkakamatayan mga kababayan natin, minsan ‘di na umaabot sa ospital pagkatapos nanakawin mo pa yung pera. ‘Di ba parang napaka-unconscionable na, yan yung tinatawag natin insatiable greed na wala nang konsensya,” he said.

(We are facing a health crisis, a health crisis that has taken the lives of many of our fellow Filipinos, some of whom don’t even make it to the hospital. Isn’t it very unconscionable, this is what we call insatiable greed to the point that there’s no longer conscience.)

Lacson, earlier this year, bared an alleged syndicate within the Department of Agriculture us getting kickbacks from P5 to P7 in “tongpats” for every kilogram of imported pork.

The revelation of this alleged scheme triggered a Senate Committee of the Whole investigation into the food security crisis due to the ASF outbreak and alleged anomalies in pork importation.