P634,000 unsafe meat seized in Bulacan market

MANILA — Government inspectors seized some three tons of mishandled meat products valued at around P634,000 during a joint enforcement operation at the Malolos Public Market in Bulacan, Friday. 

The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), Department of Agriculture, the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the Malolos City Veterinary Office confiscated some 2,500 kilos of chicken, 498 kilos of pork, and 10 kilos of beef. 

Dr. Jude Padasas, Enforcement Head of the NMIS, said the sweep was part of an ongoing nationwide campaign against uninspected meat products. 

“Wala po tayong sini-single out na lugar,” he said.  

A significant portion of the confiscated items included chicken galantina or undressed chicken which NMIS classifies as illegal “hot meat” due to the lack of required slaughterhouse and post-mortem inspections. 

“Number one po, hindi po ibig sabihin na as usapan namin ng LGU, from the start, bawal talaga ang galantina. So paulit-ulit tayo, bawal dahil po hindi po talaga dumaan sa tamang inspection. So kanina, sinasabi ko sa may-ari, kung may papakita kang permit, pagbibigyan ka namin. So ito na, wala talaga may ibibigay ng permit kasi bawal yung galantina,” Padasas said.

Padasas noted that uninspected meats pose severe health hazards to consumers, particularly food poisoning from bacteria like salmonella. 

Inspectors also confiscated mishandled or improperly displayed meat left out on floors or exposed without proper cold storage. 

“Lagi po natin sinasabihan sila pinaaalahanan, pinadadalhan din po natin sila ng sulat sa proper handling po… eh hindi po sumusunod pero patuloy pa rin kami kasi may guidelines ang NMIS,” said Dr. Jorge Crisostomo, head of the City Veterinary Office. 

Market vendors expressed frustration and offered various explanations during the confiscation. 

“Lahat naman po ng magmamanok dito ganon ang ginagawa si sa katayan diretso dito sa puwesto. Hindi po chinochop sa pinakakatayan,” said a chicken vendor, who lost over P30,000 worth of stock. 

A male delivery worker said he had no idea about the regulations, 

“Hindi ko po alam sir basta pinapadeliver lang ito sa akin… Basta ideliver lang po ito galing katayan dadalhin ng palengke,” he said. 

Vendors selling frozen meat acknowledged knowing that displaying frozen products outside temperature-controlled units is prohibited. 

One male vendor whose frozen meat boxes were found sitting under his stall claimed the delivery had just arrived. 

“Kakarating lang kaya andyan yan sa baba kasi aayusin naman namin sana eh dumating sila bigla… Oo, bawal talaga alam ko naman,” he said. 

Another female vendor admitted that while they have proper cooling equipment, products are routinely left out for buyers to see.

“Dapat talaga nasa freezer kaso marami naman kasi gumagawa nyan nasa labas ngayon lang nila tinago ngayon lang natiyempuhan,” she said.

NMIS warned that future offenses would lead to criminal prosecution under the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, which carries penalties of 6 to 12 years imprisonment and fines ranging from P100,000 to P1 million.