2 of 400 gamefowls held at NAIA die

MANILA, Philippines — Two of the 400 imported gamefowls being held by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have died, according to its consignee.

In an interview with The STAR yesterday, Juan Bacar Jr., the consignee of the fighting roosters, said he would file charges against BAI officer-in-charge Enrico Miguel Capulong before the Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Red Tape Authority for alleged harassment.

There are 398 more gamefowls in the BAI custody, he said.

“Two gamefowls died at the airport, but we have a written agreement that the BAI will compensate us in case a rooster dies while in its custody. But knowing BAI, it cannot even allow the regularization of its employees. I don’t know how they can pay us,” Bacar said.

According to Bacar, each gamefowl costs between $300 and $500, or $120,000 and $200,000 (P6.6 million and P11 million) for all 400 roosters.

He said the BAI required the fighting cocks to undergo blood tests.

Bacar described the BAI’s move as harassment after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency was even asked to inspect the gamefowls, which came from Dallas, Texas,

Capulong has defended his action, saying it was part of the protocol of the Department of Agriculture.

The gamefowls were placed in a cargo and warehousing firm at the NAIA while awaiting Capulong’s go-signal to release the roosters.