AFFECTED personnel and consultant of a piggery farm in Negros Occidental that has received several closure attempts from Victorias Milling Company (VMC) is asking government intervention.
Ruperto Bacucang, farm consultant with other personnel of Bahamas Meatshop Farm/Nutriafeeds located in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, is asking the intervention of the Department of Agriculture after the piggery farm with a population of more than 5,000 heads of swine received several closure attempts.
The latest threat, he said, was made Sunday, September 15, after the milling company sent a backhoe and dug a six feet hole at the entrance of the piggery farm to bar entry and exit of vehicles and other piggery supplies and personnel.
"They put the law into their hands. This is a threat to the swine industry that will surely affect pork supply in Negros, especially that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson recently declared a 90-day ban against the entry of pork supplies from Luzon amidst the threat of ASF (African Swine Fever)," Bacucang said.
Bahamas farm is located inside the 200-hectare VMC property and has been leasing for its piggery farm with the VMC since 2008.
Bahamas and VMC have entered into a compromise agreement on March 13, 2019 after the milling company wanted the piggery out of its property. The contract was supposed to expire on September 12.
But Bahamas has a pending motion to set aside the compromise agreement for reasons that it is impossible for a piggery to relocate in six months' time, among others.
"They can always find an area inside the 200-hectare property as there are a lot of vacant spaces there. We need at least three years to relocate because we have to find a suitable land, secure permit licenses, earth movers, construct facilities, waste water treatment facility and set up power facilities for the piggery," Bacucang said.
People will be deprived of their livelihood and the pigs will die if VMC continues to bar the entry of feeds to the piggery farm, which is a violation of Republic Act 8485 that emphasizes against cruelty to animals, he added.
"We need to protect the swine industry and Negros needs locally produced pork which is free from ASF at this point," Bacucang said.