CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — A party-list group urged yesterday the immediate halting of the importation and sale of apples from the US in the wake of reports of deadly bacteria infection that has already claimed the lives of three Americans.
In a statement, Anakpawis party-list Rep. Fernando Hicap said he was not convinced by a statement from the US Embassy that no apple brands identified as being infected with the deadly listeriosis bacteria have reached the Philippines.
He said the government should also ban the sale of US apples in local markets until their US producers are determined. “It is possible that some of these apples were shipped to us before the recall of the California- based Gala and Granny Smith apples or they may have even entered the country through smuggling,” he said.
Hicap said “consumers’ welfare and rights must be considered above the government’s obligation to import such product. The government’s indecisiveness on this issue is a consequence of its being duty-bound to import under the World Trade Organization.”
“The government, through the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Trade and Industries, should take immediate steps to prevent the possible outbreak of the said disease by barring apple imports, particularly US produced apple products,” Hicap also said.
