Truck driver tries to slip load of pigs past ASF checkpoint

A truck driver carrying pigs allegedly attempted to skip an African Swine Fever checkpoint on Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City.

According to a ''24 Oras Weekend'' report by Bernadette Reyes on Saturday, the truck was carrying nine pigs from San Juan, Batangas, and was on its way to Caloocan City.

“Hinabol po doon tapos pinabalik nalang natin kasama ng ating kapulisan. Doon po namin natrace na wala po siyang lisensya,” said Rodel Luces of the Quezon City Traffic Transportation Management Department.

(We chased it down and made him go back with our police officers. That was when we were able to trace that he had no license.)

“Wala po akong rason na takbuhan sila kasi kumpleto naman po ako ng papel. Lahat naman po ng checkpoint na nadaanan namin, kahit pulis po, hinihintuan ko,” the truck driver said.

(I had no reason to run away from them because I had complete documents. I’ve stopped at all of the checkpoints we’ve passed through.)

Upon checking, some of the pigs had rashes on their bodies, which may be a symptom of ASF.

The hogs were sent to the Bureau of Animal Industry to undergo testing for ASF.

Meanwhile, several hog raisers have expressed their intent to vaccinate their pigs against ASF.

Controlled vaccinations are set to begin in the first week of September.

“Ang isang vial ay 50 doses. Kailangan namin na igrupo sila ng 50 para pag binakunahan walang masayang. Pero bago namin bakunahan, titignan muna namin ang dugo ng mga baboy na babakunahan para malaman kung ito ay may kargang virus o wala,” said Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Dante Palabrica.

(One vial contains 50 doses. We must group them in 50s so that the doses would not be wasted. But, before we can vaccinate, we have to check the blood of the pig to know if it is carrying the virus.) — Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News