The Cebu Provincial Government is set to file administrative and criminal charges against the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) officials for the agency`s economically disruptive moves against Cebu`s P11-billion hog industry in the guise of ASF measures.
During a press conference at the Capitol today, March 27, Gov. Gwen Garcia said it is time that BAI officials be held accountable for the culling of millions of healthy hogs nationwide, as well as for their ``irresponsible statements`` that triggered economic dislocation among Cebuanos by declaring an ASF outbreak here.
``It's time for all of us to wake up. We cannot just continue taking all their statements and policies lock, stock, and barrel,`` the governor said.
Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Donato Villa said they had already gathered the affidavits of hog growers in Carcar City whose herd that reached 141 were culled by the BAI after supposed ASF cases were detected in the city`s slaughterhouse earlier this month.
The figure, however, pales in comparison to the four million hogs, as estimated by the private sector, that were lost from national inventory since 2019 when BAI started implementing culling as a national policy in combatting the ASF, said Rolando Tambago, president of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines.
Governor Garcia said BAI`s pronouncements of an ASF outbreak in Cebu, even without conclusive proof, has triggered the plummeting of pork prices and the skyrocketing of fish prices and other non-pork products in the province.
The governor also believes that the BAI`s culling policy would greatly incapacitate the lack of pork supply, thereby effectively justifying for the agency to allow more pork importation. This would put the local hog industry at a grave disadvantage since imported pork products are cheaper in the market because of lower tariffs.
In January this year, Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, berated top officials of the BAI for approving the importation of meat despite enough local supply.
Data from the BAI showed that in 2021, the total local demand for pork is 1.73 million kilograms, while the PSA said local production was projected at 1.69 million kg. The country, however, imported 724,532 kg, which resulted in a surplus of 686,881 kg of pork in 2022.
``It's too much of a coincidence to be a coincidence. I see some grand scheme here where they just resorted immediately to report to the national media that there is an (ASF) outbreak. That is such an irresponsible statement. Or perhaps it was also part of the script leading to canceling us out in so far as producing pork — local pork — is concerned so that they can justify more importation of pork?`` the governor said.
Atty. Villa said BAI officials would face complaints in violation of certain provisions of RA 3109 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Office of the Ombudsman.
``Let's call a spade a spade. Let's call a pig a pig. But don't call cholera as ASF. And let's call importation permits as very lucrative business,`` the governor said. (Ioannes P. Arong)
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