ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- Pork-related products manufactured from African Swine Fever-infected areas in Luzon were confiscated at a grocery store in San Jose, Antique, as part of the provincial government’s efforts to protect its local swine industry.

According to a media statement of the Antique Provincial Information Office, a total of 47 canned sausages and 33 batchoy-flavored cup noodles being sold at the grocery store have been seized.  

Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, Veterinarian III of the Office of the Antique Provincial Veterinarian (ProVet), spearheaded the entrapment operation after their office received information that the store was selling pork products from prohibited areas.

These products were disinfected and burned to avoid possible contamination.

“Ang African swine fever pwede mabuhi sa any pork products nga mga pagkaun for one to 10 years, even if processed (The ASF can live in any pork products for one to 10 years, even if it is already a processed food),” Ardamil said in a press release.

Samples of the confiscated items were sent to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture-6 for ASF testing.

Last May 11,  the ProVet has also apprehended an online seller from San Jose town for trading 14 packs of pork siopao and three packs of chicharon from Quezon City.

Based on the Antique Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-242, which is dubbed as the African Swine Fever Prevention Ordinance of Antique, pig, boar semen, pork, and pork products that came from areas with confirmed ASF cases are prohibited from entering the province. Violators will be penalized with a maximum of P5,000 or one year imprisonment.

The ASF Crisis Management Task Force in Antique is authorized to apprehend any violators or seize any prohibited items during the conduct of inspection of incoming hog transport carriers, refrigerated close containers, cargoes containing pork products using any mode of transportation in airport, ports, and checkpoints. (LTP/LML-PIA6)