'Hot' meat confiscated in Balintawak market

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities confiscated more than a ton of “hot meat” products left behind for unscrupulous ambulant vendors in Balintawak, Quezon City before dawn yesterday. The confiscated products included a ton of “double-dead” beef and pork that were considered unfit for human consumption, said Superintendent Carlito Feliciano, commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 1.

According to Feliciano, the raiding team also seized 224 kilograms of imported buffalo meat that did not pass through the scrutiny of the National Meat Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture. “These (buffalo meat) are not necessarily unfit for human consumption but since they did not pass the screening of the NMIS, these did not have the agency’s permit,” Feliciano told The STAR.

The police official said it was still not clear where these imported buffalo meat products came from. “The NMIS just received a tip about the presence of such products in Balintawak and asked for our assistance in conducting the raid,” he said.

A joint team from the QCPD-Station 1 and the NMIS under Dr. Rolando Marquez conducted the operation at around 2 a.m. yesterday. Feliciano, however, said no one was arrested during the confiscation of the meat products.

He said that most of the “hot meat” were reportedly just left behind on the sidewalk before the operation.