Guiani leads disposal of seized

COTABATO
CITY (Sept. 1/NDBC) –- The Cotabato City veterinary office on Monday torch
about 120 kilos of illegally slaughtered carabao meat seized from a vendor last
week, officials today said.
The
confiscated meat were properly disposed by burning them in front of the
Cotabato City with Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani Jr in attendance and other
city veterinary officials.Veterinary
doctor Robert Malcontento, city veterinarian, said the hot meat” were being
transported by a certain Titing Macandag, a resident of the town of Matanog.

He
and a companion were on board a tricycle and tried to enter the city through
Matampay bridge with the P24,000 worth hot meat.”
When
checked, Macandag could not present legal documents the meat underwent legal
and proper slaughtering procedures. He
also failed to present meat inspection certificates.

Malcontento
said the trade of hot meat” is a violation of Republic Act 10536 or the Meat
Inspection Code of the Philippines. The illegal transport of meat to the city
violates City Ordinance 1289.

Violators
of the Republic Act will be paying a fine of Php 200, 000 for the first
offense, Php 350, 000 for the second offense, Php 500, 000 for the third
offense and will be imprisoned for 6-12 years. The
meat inspection certificate will be given by the slaughterhouse where food
animals like the carabao are supposed to be butchered. That way we can be
certain that the meat is clean and safe for human consumption,
Malcontento said.
Guiani commended the authorities and the City Veterinary Office for their quick
action. He assured the residents of Cotabato City that all meat being sold in
the public markets in the city are safe and have gone through proper slaughter. We
in the government are doing our best to maintain the quality and the
cleanliness of the meat sold in the city so our consumers have nothing to worry
about. We would also want to remind everybody to alert our authorities whenever
they come across vendors selling hot meat, Guiani said.
Malcontento
said this was their biggest apprehension of illegally slaughtered meat this
year.
He
said city meat inspectors are now deployed to different check points and public
markets to conduct their routine check on the meats being shipped and sold in
the city. (NDBC)