SAN LUIS – “No fowls are allowed to be taken out of San Luis until authorities say so.”
This was the stiff order of top cop Chief Inspector Charlmar Gundaya to his personnel as part of the monitoring and quarantine process of the Department of Agriculture due to the avian influenza outbreak plaguing this town.
Gundaya said two checkpoints were set up in virus-stricken villages of San Carlos and Sto. Niño to ensure that no fowls - chickens, ducks, quails and fighting cocks - will be taken out of the area.
He added that the police force, together with personnel of Pampanga Public Safety Company, are tasked to ensure that no sale or unauthorized disposal of infected chickens and poultry by-products such as eggs and manure will happen while the outbreak is still under investigation.
“May checkpoint kami sa entry at exit points ng dalawang barangay para masiguro na walang makakalabas na manok o ibon kasi under quarantine tayo,” Gundaya said.
He disclosed that since the checkpoints were set up on Saturday dawn, they have already flagged down at least 10 personalities carrying fowls on the way out.
He, however, said that the entry of poultry, especially chicken meat, is allowed to address the demands of the market here.
San Luis Mayor Venancio “Asyong” Macapagal, for his part, assured his constituents that the situation is under control as noted by Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol who was in the province on Friday.
He also asked the residents and poultry owners, especially in the affected villages, to cooperate in the quarantine process and preventive measures being implemented to avoid any inconvenience.
Macapagal also added that the one-kilometer radius quarantine area and seven-kilometer radius confinement area is still in effect to prevent the spread of the virus to other barangays and nearby towns.