Thread by @inquirerdotnet

NOW: Senate opens Committee of the Whole investigation into the food security crisis brought about by the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. The inquiry will also look into the alleged "tongpats" scheme on pork imports. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Senator Panfilo Lacson, principal author of the resolution that called for the probe, presents annual consumption and supply of pork in PH from 2018 to 2020. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Lacson: Where’s the shortage? 'Di ba malinaw na higit pa sa sapat ang supply? | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Sen. Joel Villanueva: It seems that we allowed an imported virus to kill our local pigs by letting too much imported pork finish off what is left of our hog industry. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Villanueva: The national swine inventory is down by 3 million heads. Piggeries have been emptied of one-fourth of their stocks. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Villanueva: This 25-percent plunge in the livestock population translates to a 100-percent bankruptcy rate in many pig farms. Biyak na po pati kanilang piggy banks. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Sen. Risa Hontiveros: Sa kabila ng panawagan ng lokal na industriya at paulit-ulit na babala ng senado ay itinuloy pa rin itong massive importation. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Hontiveros: Nasa higit 68,000 hog raisers -- mga Kapampangan, mga Batanguenyo, mga Bulakenyo ay mga naghihingalo na ang operasyon o nagsarado na ng tindahan dahil sa epekto ng ASF. Tapos ngayon, kakumpitensya pa nila ang imported pork? | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Agriculture Sec. William Dar: By reducing tariff rates [on imported pork], we can reduce prices of pork, reduce inflation and provide reasonable profit margin. | @CMRamosINQ

@CMRamosINQ Dar denies any involvement in the alleged "tongpats" scheme on pork imports.

"As regards to the alleged 'tongpats' of about P5 to P7 per kilo of imported pork, the present DA leadership categorically denies any involvement if such scheme indeed exists." | @CMRamosINQ