Press Release
December 4, 2012

KIKO URGES PNP: GO AFTER SOURCES OF "BOTCHA"

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan calls on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to raid farms that are the source of double-dead meat, or "botcha", that have been proliferating the market.

"If the police will continue being reactive as opposed to being proactive with regard to botcha, then the raids in our palengkes will never end. It has to go beyond that. Why not raid the farms responsible for flooding the markets with double-dead meat? Surely our PNP have intelligence reports as to where these farms are and the persons responsible for this."

Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, seeks to raise penalties for those found violating the National Meat Inspection Service Code. Pangilinan is also proposing amendments to the NMIS code so that there will be tighter coordination among different agencies involved in preventing the proliferation of botcha.

"I refuse to believe that we are helpless against the proliferation of double-dead meats. Are we to allow bureaucracies to prevent us from ending the practice of selling botcha? We have to pinpoint culpability, otherwise consumers will think that the whole industry is vulnerable--ultimately bringing the whole industry down on its knees."

"Matagal na nating problema ito, siguro naman may sapat na tayong kaalaman kung paano pugsain ang pagbenta ng botcha. Kapag tinuligsa natin ang mga pinagmumulan ng mga botcha na ito at masampolan ng pagmulta, pagkakulong, at pagtanggal ng lisensya, siguradong matitigil na ang problemang ito."

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