NEWSFLASH

BACOLOD SHIPMENT OF DOG MEAT SEIZED IN MANILA

Manila, Jan. 7, 2000- A Bacolod-origin inter-island vessel ferried hundreds of kilos of dog meat for retail in Manila, but the shipment was intercepted and confiscated by members of the Veterinary Inspection Board (VIB) and the Anti-Crime Unit (ACU) operatives of the Manila City Hall yesterday.

Arrested during a raid in Tondo, Manila yesterday morning were four persons, including the driver of the delivery truck containing 500 kilos of dog meat.

In a joint report, ACU head Chief Inspector Mar Reyes and Dr. Jose Diaz of the VIB said they conducted surveillance operations after receiving a tip that an illegal shipment of dog meat was to be unloaded at the North Harbor between Jan. 5 and 9 this year. Yesterday morning, the suspects were caught red-handed as they loaded the dog meat inside 24 sealed Styrofoam boxes to the truck at Pier 2 of the North Harbor.

The meat arrived via M/V Joseph, an inter-island vessel, from Bacolod. According to Diaz, the meat may have been misdeclared as ‘seafood.’

Charges of violation of City Ordinance 4739 or illegal transport and delivery of illegally-slaughtered animals and RA 8484 or the Animal Welfare Act are being readied against the suspects.