Undocumented pigs seized in Carmen

CEBU, Philippines — Authorities have intercepted 27 undocumented pigs at the coastline of Cogon East, Carmen in the northern Cebu on Tuesday, November 5.

The undocumented livestock were smuggled into the mainland Cebu came from Barangay Esperanza, San Francisco town in Camotes Island using a motorbanca.

Police Colonel Melvin Laguros, chief of the Regional Maritime Unit-7, said they seized the shipment after the people transporting the hogs failed to present documents to support that the transport was legal.

In compliance with the executive order of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Laguros said they turned over the seized live hogs to the municipal agriculture office of Carmen.

Earlier, Garcia issued Executive Order No. 16 series of 2024 establishing the Anti-Smuggling Inter-Agency Task Force in the province following reports of rampant livestock hog smuggling in Dumanjug town in the southwestern part of Cebu.

The governor created the task force as an immediate response to reports reaching her office that several undocumented livestock such as hogs, goods, and other cargoes are smuggled into the province without appropriate permits from pertinent government agencies, thereby posing health risks and depriving local government units of their right to collect fees.

The EO stated that without the necessary permits and clearances from the concerned agencies of government, the transport of livestock, goods, and other cargoes shall be deemed a threat to the safety and security of the Cebuanos. —/FPL (FREEMAN)