The Pangasinan provincial government has said that 15 hogs in the province were tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF).

In a press conference on Saturday, Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino III said 15 out of 30 blood samples from the confiscated hogs in Barangay Baloling in Mapandan last Thursday were carriers of the disease.

Investigation found that the ASF infected swines were among the 70 pigs transported from Bustos, Bulacan by local merchants.

"The illegal hog traders passed through Anao exit to San Manuel, Tarlac to Bersamin, Alcala, then going right to Carmen Bridge to Villasis, to Urdaneta then to Urdaneta Bypass Road, then to Sitio Guam to Mapandan," the provincial public information office said in a statement.

Two swine traders were arrested for allegedly violating Executive Order 0092-2019 issued by Espino on September 10. The EO imposed a temporary absolute ban on the entry of all live pigs to the province.

Provincial Legal Officer Geraldine Baniqued said they are planning to file a case against the hog traders. She also explained the province has sufficient supply of pigs.

"What we see here is that they took advantage of the low price (of pigs) in Bulacan," she said.

The Department of Agriculture earlier confirmed the presence of ASF in Bulacan.

Espino ordered local officials to guard all entry points in the province to prevent illegal swine traders on transporting hogs from other affected regions. He also instructed to follow the agriculture department's 1-7-10 protocol.

"We have no recourse now but to implement the 1-7-10 protocol of the Department of Agriculture when an area is found out to be infected with ASF," he said. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS