Lacson asks DA: Has anyone been charged for ASF-infected pork importation?
Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday, April 12 asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) whether or not charges have been filed against importers of African Swine Flu (ASF)-infected pork products.
Lacson fielded the question after scrutinizing the 2021 Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) report on smuggled agricultural products.
During the third hybrid hearing Tuesday, April 12 of the Senate Committee of the Whole on the smuggling of agricultural products particularly Chinese vegetables into the country and assessment issues, Lacson pointed out that the smuggling of ASF-infected pork had been so blatant that unscrupulous importers continued their trade even if there was an ongoing Senate hearing on the pork importation issue.
The chairman of the Senate National Defense and Security Committee said the DA should have gone after those who were importing ASF-infected pork products and file cases against them.
“The importation of ASF-infected pork products has great impact in our local hog/swine industry... I’m interested in the apprehension of the ASF-infected pork importers because of the damage they have created in the hog/swine industry,” Lacson said during the four-hour committee hearing.