Pig carcasses retrieved along Marikina River

HOG REMAINS. A Marikina veterinary worker fishes out a pig carcass from the Marikina River Thursday, September 12. Photo courtest of Marikina PIO

MANILA, Philippines – The Marikina City Veterinary Office recovered Thursday, September 12, in different areas along the Marikina River River 36 pig carcasses, which it immediately buried.

The agency said the swine remains were retrieved in 3 barangays. Ten were found in Barangay Nangka; 24 pig carcasses in Barangay Kalumpang, and two 2 in Barangay Tumana.

Marikina Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) to investigate the incident. He said it was unlikely that the dead pigs found floating in the river were from their city.

"There is no slaughterhouse or piggery in Marikina. The dead pigs could have been from the upstream of Rizal," Teodoro said.

Earlier, the DA confirmed that African swine fever virus caused hog deaths in Rizal and Bulacan.

ASF cannot be transmitted to humans.

Marikina officials said that first hog carcass was found in the Marikina River near the “Marikit” statue around 8 am, Thursday.

Meanwhile, the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Occidental have imposed bans on the entry of pork and pork products into the respective jurisdictions to avoid ASF contamination. – Rappler.com