Following the reported occurrences of African swine fever (ASF) in several regions of the province, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued a memorandum prohibiting agencies, including the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), from obtaining samples of blood, serum, tissue, or any other organ of pigs.
Only municipal or city agriculturists and veterinarians, or their authorized workers, can undertake the testing, according to the governor.
According to Cebu provincial government lawyers, if the BAI insists on imposing its ideas anyplace in Cebu, the police can arrest individuals or even members of the BAI.
Before they can carry out their programs or initiatives, national government agencies must discuss and collaborate with local governments, according to Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code.
Benjamin Cabrido, another capital lawyer, noted that the police only need to produce a copy of Garcia's memorandum to those who wish to undertake pig testing or culling.
The BAI has declined to respond to Garcia's tirades.
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, warthogs, and boars, according to the National Meat Inspection Service.
It causes high temperature and loss of appetite in pigs, as well as hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs.
Pigs die within two to ten days after infection. There is currently no recognized vaccination against ASF.
However, health officials emphasized that ASF poses no hazard to humans and that other pork products from afflicted areas are safe to consume.
Cebu lost its classification as an ASF-free province on March 1 when BAI discovered the virus in slaughtered meat samples in Carcar City.
The BAI reported the presence of the ASF in the cities of Cebu and Bogo, as well as the towns of Liloan, Sibonga, and Tuburan, on March 20.
On March 27, the BAI added six more ASF-infected areas to its list. Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay, as well as Cordova, Minglanilla, and San Fernando, were among them.
Garcia filed a lawsuit against BAI officials on May 29 for alleged mismanagement of the ASF in the province.
He vowed to bring more charges against BAI officials for disclosing additional test results without consulting the provincial administration, citing Local administration Code restrictions.
This time, she stated that the province may request the temporary suspension of erring BAI officers.
