TWO men transporting 27 live pigs on a motorbanca were sent back to San Francisco, Camotes Islands after being intercepted by the Maritime police when they docked in the waters of Barangay Cogon East, Carmen town in northern Cebu at around 4:40 a.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
They were unable to present a permit to transport the animals in compliance with Executive Order 16 issued by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, which restricts pig transport into mainland Cebu.
A Maritime police officer, who requested anonymity, stated that the two men and the pigs were turned over to the Carmen Municipal Agriculture Office.
Since this was their first offense, the two men identified as Armando Amurillo, 60, and Carlos Pregruer, 38, were sent back to San Francisco with the 27 pigs.
“Di naman po huhulihin, like sa report po namin hinold lang po. Pag wala po kasing permit i-hohold po yun then pababalikin lang po kung san galing na destination,” the Maritime police official said.
(They weren’t arrested; as per the report, they were only held. If there’s no permit, they are held and then sent back to where they came from).
The Maritime Police stressed that they are constantly monitoring the shipping of live pigs to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever in the province. (AYB)
