The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) inspected 22 hog farms in Bulacan to determine if there are any practices involved in supply manipulation that drive pork prices up.
No violations were found during the inspection in Sta. Maria, San Jose Del Monte, San Ildefonso, Angat and Baliaug. The inspection was conducted following the directive of the justice department to verify the existence of cartels controlling prices of basic commodities.
Atty. Yuri Beltran of the NBI in the National Capital Region (NCR) said it is also meant to “determine whether hogs coming from Visayas, Mindanao are really ending up in our market, especially in (the) NCR.”
The bureau is now planning to follow the trail of pork supply from Visayas and Mindanao until they arrive in stockyards up to the actual sale.
“According to the circular, maximum of three days lang ‘pag dinala sa stockyard, kailangan ipa-slaughter na nila yan at dalhin na nila sa merkado (According to the circular, after a maximum of three days upon arrival in the stockyard, they should be slaughtered and be brought to the market),” Beltran said.
The documents will also show if there is manipulation from the side of stockyard owners since the documents would include date of purchase, arrival, and release from the stockyard.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) destroyed hog casings worth Php1.5 million found in a container van. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
