Palace defends DA over handling of ASF cases

September 16, 2019

Malacanang said on Monday the Department of Agriculture is handling "properly" the African Swine Fever cases despite the spread in other areas in Luzon.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said there was no need for the Palace to direct Agriculture Secretary William Dar as he knows what he is going to do to with the reported ASF cases in the country.

"As far as they're concerned, they handled it properly. If there are isolated cases in one place, then they will take care of that," he said.

Dar has said that the ASF cases in areas in Bulacan and Rizal could be considered an outbreak but not an epidemic.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Saturday confirmed that 11 dead pigs from Barangay Silangan were tested positive for ASF.

Dar reportedly called Belmonte for her early announcement of the result of the test.

According to DA, the blood testing for ASF usually takes time as the samples are sent abroad for confirmatory testing by the World Animal Health Organization-accredited laboratory. 

Panelo said local government officials should coordinate with the DA chief whenever there are cases of ASF in their localities and of the results of the tests.

"Well, the better action would be to call the DA Secretary first so that he would know exactly what is happening in one particular place," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS