BAGUIO City Mayor Benjie Magalong vowed “harsher penalties” against a local trader for again being caught selling spoiled chicken (‘botcha’) at the local market.
Magalong identified the trader as Rosito Domingo Jr., operator of the stalls at the Domesco building along Kayang Street and who, the mayor said, is the biggest supplier of fish in the city.
Magalong was irked over what he described as Domingo’s “brazen and unacceptable behavior.”
A statement from Magalong’s office noted that last July 28, local veterinary inspectors caught Domingo selling 240 kilograms of spoiled chicken meat during an inspection on July 28 and was issued a Notice of Violation (NOV)– only to be caught again selling another 18 kilos of the same spoiled product during a follow-up inspection on the same day.
“This man is shameless. He made a mockery of our laws brazenly committing violation not just once but twice despite having been issued a notice.
“His utter disregard for public health should not be tolerated. Selfish and unconscionable traders like him should have no place in our city,” Magalong stressed.
He added that Domingo has already been slapped with a ₱5,000 fine, the maximum amount under the city’s local laws and his stalls have been ordered closed since August 5.
Despite this, Magalong said they are preparing other criminal cases against Domingo for being a repeat offender and for harassing and threatening officials and personnel from the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO).
“He deserves to be charged for his offenses,” the mayor said.
Magalong said Domingo would be sued for repeated violation of RA10536, which amended the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines or RA 9296, and provides criminal penalties for the sale, transport and distribution of condemned meat.
Under the law, violators may face six to 12 years in prison and fines ranging from P100,000 to P1 million, including the revocation or suspension of business permit depending on the seriousness of the violation.
Magalong also cited incident blotters from the CVAO which showed the businessman had been involved in previous incidents of threats and harassment of city inspectors even before the July 28 incident.
Records show that on October 29, 2025, during a routine inspection, a CVAO veterinarian reportedly found fish and dressed chicken placed on the floor at Domingo’s area and instructed his staff to properly place the products on crates.
The report said Domingo confronted the veterinarian and made threatening remarks, prompting the inspector to leave the area after ensuring that the products were properly stored.
Another incident was recorded on December 12, 2025, when the Meat and Fishery Products Monitoring Task Force conducted an inspection of meat, poultry and fish products.
Domingo and his spouse reportedly shouted at members of the inspection team and questioned why their stall was being inspected. He was also issued a NOV which he allegedly refused to receive.
Magalong said such behavior towards government personnel cannot be tolerated, particularly when inspectors are simply performing their duties to protect consumers.
He stressed that being a major fish supplier in the city does not give anyone the right to intimidate government personnel or prevent them from enforcing food safety regulations.