The Daily Tribune
Smuggled onions from Paco Market positive for E. coli
Smuggled onions from Manila's Paco Public Market tested positive for E. coli bacteria, prompting a warning from the Department of Agriculture (DA) due to food safety concerns.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that this is a clear threat to public health and confirmed that no import permits have been issued for the onions.
The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) confirmed that samples from the Paco market indicated possible fecal contamination and poor sanitation, with some onions noted as oversized and a common indicator of foreign origin.
The DA will confiscate contaminated onions as mandated by the Food Safety Act of 2013 and has ordered BPI and other field units to inspect markets for smuggled onions.
The DA's heightened vigilance aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to protect local farmers, as E. coli can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
The Philippine National Police has been enlisted for intelligence gathering to identify and apprehend illegal importers.
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The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted 25 metric tons of smuggled red onions from China valued at approximately P2 million in Misamis Oriental.
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Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. warned against onion smuggling, stating that brokers, truck drivers, and retailers could be held accountable, in addition to the "big fish."
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The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are intensifying their nationwide crackdown against agricultural smuggling, following the discovery of suspected smuggled red onions in Manila's Paco public market.
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Authorities from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Agriculture (DA) intercepted six container vans at the Port of Manila containing smuggled onions and frozen mackerel from China.
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