Unabia’s chickens being tested anew

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE bird flu crisis may be over but the 21 tons of dressed chickens held in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental last month, are still being frozen, literally.

This, despite Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s announcement that the worst agriculture crisis to hit the country so far during the Duterte administration is over.

National Meat Inspection Service regional director Angie Barcelona said authorities continued to prevent the over 21 thousand kilos of dressed poultry from being sold in the local market because of an order for more laboratory tests.

The shipment, from Bulacan to Tagoloan, was held by authorities over serious questions on the authenticity of its shipment permit and meat certificate. The shipment was traced to companies owned by the family of Rep. Peter Unabia of Misamis Oriental’s 1st District.

Barcelona said the order came from NMIS executive director Ernesto Gonzales who is leading a group in investigating the shipment that was held in Tagoloan over two weeks ago.

The dressed chickens are being frozen in a sealed storage facility of the Unabia-owned Anakciano Inc. in Barangay Mohon, Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental.

Barcelona said the NMIS took samples of the dressed chickens and sent these to the laboratory of a NMIS-accredited private company in Lapasan yesterday for further examination.

“Sa una, amo man ning  gi-examine pag-abot ani nga mga karni dinhi sa ato from Bulacan pero sa quality test man lang to siya.  OK man ang quality sa karni. Pero kini karon lahi na sab ni nga lab test.” Barcelona said.

She said the result of the second laboratory examination would factor in the decision of the NMIS on what to do with the dressed chickens.