‘Probe DA officers for failure to contain ASF problems’

ROSALES, Pangasinan, Philippines — The chairman of Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura (SINAG) has asked the Senate committee on agriculture to probe the alleged failure of some officials to implement quarantine measures and preventive actions that could have contained the threat of the African swine fever (ASF) at its onset.

In a letter dated Sept. 25 addressed to committee chair Sen. Cynthia Villar, Rosendo So said the ASF that has been officially confirmed to have entered the country early this month continues to wreak havoc on the P416-billion hog industry.

He added that they have been coordinating closely with the present leadership at the Department of Agriculture (DA) to minimize the spread of the virus and work on ways for its total eradication.

“There is, however, persistent reports in the communities within and around ground zero (in Rodriguez, Rizal) that abnormal mortality of pigs have actually started since the months of June and July,” So noted.

He said that at that time the DA was under a different leader.

“Had this been acted upon officially at that time, through quarantine measures and preventive actions from concerned agencies, the threat of ASF could have been contained at the onset,” So stressed.

SINAG wanted the Senate committee to look into these reports and, if found credible, recommend the filing of appropriate charges against government officials who abdicated their duties to protect the hog industry.

“We view these inactions as economic sabotage for maliciously wanting to destroy the hog industry,” So said.

He also requested the committee to invite appropriate resource persons to shed light on the series of activities at the DA in relation to its Administrative Circular No. 01 series of 2017 that governs the rules and regulations on the allocation, importation and utilization of frozen Indian buffalo meat.

Seized pigs

Meanwhile, blood samples taken from pigs seized in Mapandan here on Thursday turned positive for ASF.

The pigs, which came from Bustos, Bulacan, were brought to Mapandan by a trader.

In a news conference late afternoon yesterday, Gov. Amado Espino III confirmed that out of the 30 samples, 15 were positive of ASF.

Espino told newsmen that he immediately called for a meeting with local government officials to implement proper  disposal of the pigs in coordination with the  Department of Agriculture.

Espino added that they are strictly monitoring the town, especially barangay Baloling, where most pigs from Bulacan were brought.

On the other hand, he said five pigs confiscated and condemned in Calasiao town were tested negative from ASF. – With Cesar Ramirez