Anti-crime, anti ASF measure

PCG suggests xray scans

For entering passengers

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 19 (PIA) – If they can have it their way, a redundant system of screening at the entry ports in Bohol would be of great help in securing Bohol’s borders from the entry of the virus that causes African Swine Fever (ASF) as well as illegal drugs.

Petty Officer 1 and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Bohol Chief Master at Arms Jay Pascua said that they are deploying sniffing dogs in Ubay, in a bid to sniff out pork and its related processed products innocently brought in by passengers from Leyte, but PCG Bohol has limited assets, especially K9.

What the Coast Guard officer means is that securing Bohol can be sustained by putting in place a second layer of security system for all arriving passengers where they have to pass through another body screening and xray scan for their hand carry items.

This way, not only can authorities keep in check stashed food in bags and hand carry items, it can also check on illegal drugs, fire-arms and other contrabands, the PCG CMAA said.

ASF, a viral hog disease that is severely fatal to pigs, started in Africa and has spread worldwide via close contact: body secretions and it can be transmitted through meat, surviving over long periods of time even in cured, cooked or processed meat.

Already affecting most areas of Luzon and several areas in Mindanao, ASF was later reported in Leyte, a province just across the sea and a couple of hours away from Bohol.

To put a plug on the hog disease, Bohol strengthened its border security through coastal patrols by the PCG, Bantay Dagat and barangay peace keeping officers including a horde of volunteers to make sure landings by small craft in Bohol from Leyte does not bring in meat, cooked of processed and cured, even if it is for personal consumption.

The problem, port authorities point out is when passengers from Leyte bring in meat and this slips through, especially now that authorities can not simply check on each passenger due to danger of coronavirus disease.

Bohol biosecurity teams installed in ports of entry to Bohol however have been instructed to confiscate any pork meat, whether raw or processed, cured or cooked and dispose of them as they are surrender or confiscated.

So nothing could slip through, the PCG sniffing dogs come in.

According to PO1 Pascua, they deployed a sniffing dog in Ubay, because it faces Leyte and has a boat that serves the route, but its dogs are not that much.

A more sustainable solution however would be to put up screening and an Xray scanner for arriving passengers, suggests Pascua.

While entering passengers pass through possible screening and xray scans in their ports of origin, chances of illegal shipments could be curbed if stricter measures are put in place in Bohol.

One can get lucky slipping a contraband through one screening, he may not be as lucky the second time. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

CRIME, CONTRABANDS CONTROL. PCG Bohol suggests the use of a redundant security system for all arriving passengers at the ports. A system of xray scanning for all entering passengers, according to PO1 Jay Pascua of the PCG, can help Bohol be secured against hand-carried pork, deter the entry of illegal drugs as well as fire-arms and other contrabands. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

ALL HANDS ON DECK. With two K9 and handlers now on full duty in Bohol ports against African Swine Fever, its Special Operations Group for immediate deployment when necessary, PCGs 111 warm-bodies are on patrol around Bohol, taking in environmental laws protection, marine safety, COVID-19 travels for small crafts, incursion by criminal elements and possible breaches that can bring in ASF to Bohol. (PIABohol)