Cops seize ‘hot’ pork

By Mar T. Supnad

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan- – Cops here and the Municipal Task Force recently confiscated “hot” meat onboard a tricycle along Solis Street, Poblacion, this town.

Police Supt. Harris R Fama, the town police chief, said in his report to mayor Jonas Castaneda an unidentified man tipped police and the MTF of an illegal load.

The pork meat weighing more or less 20 kilos was placed in a jute sack.

The driver of the tricycle escaped arrest.

The seized meat, which lacked inspection seal from the Lingayen slaughter house was believed to be from another town and unfit for human consumption, said Fama.

The suspected hot meat was later buried at the back of the police station and covered with a soil.

The meat owner tried to sell it in Lingayen despite its being ucnfit for human consumption, Fama told Castaneda.

Fama noted that low fines and penalties have been blamed for proliferation of banned meat.
Under the Consumer Act, illegal sale of unsafe products like hot meat has a penalty ranging from of P1,000 to P10,000 and six months to five years in jail.

If the owner is arrested, cases for violation of Republic Act 7392 (Consumer Act of the Philippines) and RA 9296 (National Meat Inspection Code) will be filed against them.