MinDA seeks police help on swine disease

THE Mindanao Development Authority has asked the police to help local governments in preventing the entry of hogs, pork and pork products amid an outbreak of African swine fever.

In a letter to Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año and Police Director General Oscar D. Albayalde dated September 30, MinDa Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol sought police help reports that the disease has spread to Pangasinan.

“This request is being made with urgency in view of persistent reports of hogs, pork and processed pork products still being transported to Mindanao and the Visayas from Luzon and other countries affected by African swine fever,” he said in the letter.

He added that pork products continue to enter Mindanao despite the ban imposed by several local governments. — Carmelito Q. Francisco