120 kilos of “hot meat” seized in Paranaque

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez today commended alert employees of the city government and the National Meat Inspection Board for the seizure of 120 kilos of meat from a city public market during a surprise inspection this morning after their vendors were found violating regulations on the importation and handling of meat products.

“I commend the vigilance of our meat inspectors for this seizure, which should serve as a warning and deterrent to other vendors to refrain from engaging in illegal and unsanitary practices so as not to put the health of consumers and the general public at risk,” the mayor said.

Mayor Olivarez said the seizure of the meat products should assure the public that authorities are doing their best to ensure that only properly documented and inspected meat are being sold in the city’s markets.

A joint team from the Veterinary Office, which is under the local agriculture department, and the NMIB conducted the surprise inspections at the Bicutan Public Market and the La Huerta Public Market yesterday. They found violations only at the Bicutan market where the 120 kilos of meat were seized.

Nilo Germedia, head of the Parañaque City agriculture department, said one vendor was about to unpack what was supposedly frozen beef when the inspectors arrived at about 5:30 a.m. and found out that the meat was actually buffalo meat imported from India and did not have the requisite inspection documents.

A total of 100 kilos of the imported meat was seized from the vendor.

Sale of buffalo meat is prohibited under an administrative order from the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry.

In an earlier inspection, the joint team also confiscated 20 kilos of pork after its vendor was found mishandling them, in violation of sanitary rules and regulations.

Mayor Olivarez said the city’s meat inspectors and other health personnel will intensify their inspections especially as the Christmas holidays draw near to guard against unscrupulous traders.