Two piglets brought into Barangay Tuble, Moalboal from Negros on August 9, 2026, were returned to Negros on August 10 following local officials' discovery of Cebu's temporary live hog ban.
Tuble Barangay Captain Roger Igoogan described the incident as an honest mistake by a resident who went to Negros for bananas, while Municipal Agriculture Officer Rossini Deniega stated the piglets were gifts from relatives.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro issued Executive Order 39 on July 7, enforcing a 45-day ban on live hogs, fresh pork, and processed pork products from Negros Island and other affected areas due to African swine fever concerns.
TWO piglets brought into Moalboal from Negros were returned a day later after local officials learned they had entered Barangay Tuble despite Cebu’s temporary ban on live hogs.
Tuble Barangay Captain Roger Igoogan said the resident traveled to Negros by private fishing boat to buy bananas and returned with the piglets. He said the resident did not know about the restriction.
The piglets arrived Sunday afternoon, Aug. 9, 2026, and were returned to Negros Monday afternoon, Aug. 10.
Conflicting accounts
Igoogan described the incident as an “honest mistake,” saying the piglets were bought cheaply in Negros.
Municipal Agriculture Officer Rossini Deniega, however, said the piglets were brought as gifts by relatives from Negros and were not intended for trade.
Igoogan said he summoned the resident Monday after
receiving reports from neighbors. He also said the resident informed police and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which advised that the animals be returned.
Officials not informed
Igoogan acknowledged that he did not directly notify the Moalboal Agriculture Office.
The office learned about the incident only after a social media post circulated Tuesday, Aug. 11.
A municipal livestock coordinator later visited Tuble and found that the piglets had already been returned. Barangay officials presented a signed certification confirming the return.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro issued Executive Order (EO) 39 on July 7, imposing a 45-day ban on live hogs, fresh pork and processed pork products from Negros Island and other affected areas amid African swine fever (ASF) concerns.
EO 39 followed EO 36, issued June 26, which tightened border controls and called for random checkpoints.
Cebu’s hog industry is estimated at P20 billion. The province remains free of ASF, according to provincial authorities.
Other interceptions
The Tuble incident follows other attempted hog entries along Cebu’s western coast.
On July 8, a vessel allegedly carrying hogs attempted to dock in Ronda but turned back after police intervened. On the same day, authorities intercepted 42 hogs at Tangil Wharf in Dumanjug and returned them to Negros Oriental for violating the ban.
Deniega urged barangay officials to immediately report suspected illegal livestock entries to municipal authorities, police or the PCG.
Deniega said Moalboal remains free of ASF. The Municipality recorded its last ASF case in 2023. / CDF