A raid was conducted at a soy sauce manufacturing facility and warehouse in Brgy. Sta. Lucia, City of San Fernando, which resulted to the arrest of a male suspect and the seizure of ₱30 million worth of equipment and products.
The operation was done by virtue of a Search Warrant for violation of Section 10 (a) of Republic Act No. 9711 (Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009).
The suspect, identified as alias “Aldo” male, of legal age, married and resident of Brgy. Sta. Lucia, was caught while operating the facility.
He was caught in possession and control of voluminous “Mr. Cook” soy sauce/soy products which are not duly registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Further, the manufacturing facility is not registered in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Confiscated from the facility were processing equipment, storage tanks for neutralizing, mixing, blending, and measuring operations, filter and carboy, machines, steam boilers, and 25 containers of finished concentrated soya extract and soy products.
The raid was conducted by the CIDG Pampanga Provincial Field Unit, together with the Special Operations Team (SOT) of CIDG Regional Field Unit 3, Special Operations Group (SOG) of Police Regional Office 3, and San Fernando City Police Station.
PMGEN Robert AA Morico II, Director of the CIDG, emphasized that pursuant to Republic Act No. 9711, the manufacture, importation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer of health and food products without the required registration and authorization from the Food and Drug Administration is prohibited.
The distribution and selling of the substandard soy sauce is a clear circumvention of food safety standards required by the government. Since these food products have not gone through evaluation process of the FDA, its quality and safety cannot be assured, according to the CIDG director.
The CIDG’s intensified law enforcement operations nationwide is in compliance with the focused program thrust of the Chief of the Philippine National Police, Police General Jose Melencio C Nartatez Jr.
The CIDG leadership commends PCOL Grant A Gollod, the Regional Chief of CIDG Regional Field Unit 3, and the CIDG Pampanga Provincial Field Unit led by PLTCOL Marlon M Cudal for busting the operations and trading of the unregistered soy sauce and soy products which fell short from the requirement of the law. The accomplishment underscores the CIDG’s commitment in fighting all illegal manufacturing and trading of consumer products – across the country.
The CIDG assures the public that it is steadfast in enforcing all the laws to protect all consumers and unyielding to all violators. The Group calls on the public to report to CIDG all suspicious warehouses and facilities in their communities, and the CIDG will take charge.