CAMP ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan — A total of 157 hogs coming from Sariaya, Quezon that tested positive for the African Swine Fever (ASF) disease were condemned and buried at the Provincial Engineering Office in Barangay Tabang in Guiguinto town on Wednesday night.
PRO3 regional director Brig. Gen. Jose S. Hidalgo Jr, said in a text message on Thursday that the Bureau of Animal Industry takes charge in testing the swines for the ASF disease once flagged down in the checkpoint two Isuzu trucks loaded 115 and 42 hogs respectively.
“Once the animals tested positive for the disease, the provincial veterinary office of Bulacan takes charge in killing the animals and bury it,” Hidalgo added.
Col. Satur Ediong, acting provincial director, said the ASF-infected swines were loaded on board a two Isuzu truck with license plate XGD 982 and CBP2071 were intercepted on Wednesday at the Livestock, Poultry and Meat Product Inspection Site in Tandang Sora in Quezon City headed by Jhune Linnit Angelical of the Provincial Veterinary Office of Bulacan together with personnel of Quezon City Police District Station.
Ediong also said present during the checkpoint were Dr. Lei Princess Quilang, Division Head AnimalHealth and Regulatory Division of Provincial Veterinary Office and Romeo Gellangala, Livestock Inspector, Burea of Animal Industry and as well as the over all supervisor of NCR Checkpoints who are tasked for the culling and proper disposal of the hogs with ASF.
Dr. Quilang and Mr. Gellangala both said that the PEO or the Provincial Engineering Office in Brgy. Tabang, Guiguinto, Bulacan is a commitment of Gov. Daniel Fernando and Dr. Voltaire Basinang, provincial veterinarian, that those hogs which tested positive of ASF be properly disposed in PEO.
Initial investigation showed that the truck drivers, Virgilio Caile, Allain David and their helpers Ronnie Alcantara and Philip Santos together with hog owners Gerald Erpelo and Erwin Santos all residents of Pangasinan picked up the hogs in Sariaya to be delivered in Bulacan and upon reaching the inspection site tested positive with the swine disease.
Ediong said around 6 am on Wednesday the trucks, escorted by personnel of Bulacan Police 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, was brought to the Provincial Engineering Office in Guiguinto, Bulacan.
Meanwhile, the drivers, helpers and hog owners were placed under the custody and for disposition of the Bureau of Animal Industry.
