The management of AVM Bernardo, that operates the Bacolod City Slaughterhouse in Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City, reported that it is experiencing a radical decrease of about 70 percent in the number of slaughtered large animals in the Libertad Market, that it said is a clear indication of the prevalence of illegal slaughtering in the city.

In her letter to Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez dated June 24, plant manager Glorydee Cometa said they are seeking the help of Lopez, chairman of the Sanggunian Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse, to confront the rampant illegal slaughtering in Bacolod City for the protection of the health of the people of the city.

This observation is supported by footages taken by ABS CBN on June 17, she said.

Cometa said they have received information that almost 70 percent of meat vendors in Libertad are having their large food animals slaughtered in unaccredited slaughterhouses.

Their records show that there used to be 16 Libertad meat vendors who availed of the services of the Bacolod slaughterhouse, but now there are only five, she said.

Cometa said that if a slaughtered large animal has not undergone meat inspection and has not passed through an accredited slaughterhouse, the health and safety of the consumers an endangered.

She said they are apprehensive that in the future, they may be blamed in case something happens to the consuming public caused by food poisoning caused by rampant illegal slaughtering in the city.

Marvin Tanada, legal counsel of AVM Bernardo, said the prevalence of illegal slaughtering could not be denied because it has validated and confirmed by ABS-CBN that took footages of the actual delivery of meat products at the Libertad public market.

The delivery is being done by an unauthorized meat van simultaneously with that of AVM Bernardo, to make it appear that the illegally slaughtered meat came from the Bacolod City Slaughterhouse, he said.

Tañada said they will implement double marking on animals slaughtered at the City Slaughterhouse to maintain the sanitation of meat being sold in public markets in Bacolod City. The counter marking is in consonance with City Ordinance 459 and R.A. 10536 or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, he said.

Cometa said they are committed to provide quality, efficient and reliable slaughtering services with utmost care for the environment, health and safety of the consuming public.

Lopez said the complaint of AVM Bernardo has to be investigated because there is a drastic drop in the number of large animals being slaughtered by 75 percent.

“I think one of the big problems is that there is corruption. I also asked the Commission on Audit for a copy of its report on the slaughterhouse and the markets because, apparently, the collectors do not remit the share of the city from the money they have collected as slaughtering fees,” he said.

Based on the COA documents, they saw that there is illegal slaughtering going on and the share of the city from slaughtering fees is not being remitted accurately and on time, Lopez said.

Lopez also said that because AVM called his attention, he authored a resolution seeking the activation of Task Force Botagoy that will monitor illegal slaughtering activities in the city. He also plans to put up a citizen’s welfare desk to attend to complaints in the markets so these can be addressed immediately.*CGS

back to top