Several QC supermarkets suspected of selling ASF-infected meat

Almost two dozen supermarkets in Quezon City are suspected of selling pork meat infected with African Swine Fever.

Quezon City Veterinarian Dr Ana Marie Cabel said in a press conference that her office has submitted 20 specimens taken from 20 different supermarkets in Quezon City to the Bureau of Animal Industry to be tested.

“Marami po kaming na-submit na specimens pero wala pa pong lumalabas (na results),” Cabel said.

Late last year, the Quezon City Veterinary Office confiscated pork meat suspected to be tainted with ASF from two supermarkets.

SM Cherry Congressional has been identified by the National Meat Inspection Service as positive for selling meat with ASF.

“Quezon City has contained its ASF problem already as early as November. At kung hindi ito sumulpot itong problema, wala na ngang ASF sa Quezon City kasi nasa disinfection stage na tayo the whole of December. And we know the source of the meat nitong dalawang supermarket na ito is not Quezon City,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

Belmonte met with representatives of supermarkets in the city Friday to discuss how to prevent the further spread of the ASF.

“We found out that the documentation of these meats were complete. Meron po silang NMIS certification na ASF-free sila. Meron din pong certification na yung kanilang mga supplier ay ASF-free,” Belmonte added.

The mayor said she prefers to collaborate with the supermarkets instead of imposing sanctions. Sanctions, she explained, will be meted out only if there was malice or ill intention on the part of the supermarkets.

“For me it was very clear na, based on the discussion, it was all in good faith. There was no malice, no intent to deceive the public, to deliberately risk the health of the general public for a profit,” she said.

“Pag pinakulong ko lang po siya, hindi po matitigil ang issue ng ASF dahil darating pa rin nang darating ang supply. Lulusot pa rin nang lulusot sa NMIS yan. At iba namang grocery ang magkakaroon ng ASF. Hanggang sa lahat ng grocery, matatakot makipagtulungan sa local govt dahil sasabihin nila, isasara kami pag positive kami. Itago na lang natin. E di lalo pang lumala yung problema,” Belmonte reiterated.

The Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, on the other hand, admitted they have no means to tell if meat is ASF-infected or not.

“All we can do is rely on the authority which is NMIS. If they give the clearance, there’s nothing else we can do to say it’s tainted,” Steven Cua, president of the association said.

Belmonte has ordered the supermarkets to submit their internal protocols to the Quezon City local government, which will be studied and will form part of an executive order that Belmonte is set to issue two weeks from now.

The EO will include protocols on the disposal and burial of ASF-infected meat, disinfection and penalties for uncooperative supermarkets. —LDF, GMA News