At least P30 billion worth of rice, chicken, pork, and onions were smuggled in the country in 2022, the group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) told a Senate hearing Thursday.
Under the Republic Act No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, the punishment for large-scale smuggling or economic sabotage is life imprisonment and a fine worth double the value of the smuggled product.
Senators, however, questioned the authorities as to why no one was apprehended, according to Lei Alviz’s “24 Oras” report.
“Ang tagal-tagal ng batas, 2016, walang na-file-an ng economic sabotage,” (The law has been there since 2016 but no one has been charged with economic sabotage) Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of Senate committee on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform, said.
“Ang intensyon natin yung mga konte-container na nakakalabas at ang nagpapabagsak sa presyo ng bigas at iba pa,” Senator JV Ejercito said.
(Our targets are the containers getting out and that bring down the prices of rice and others.)
Since 2018, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it has filed 179 smuggling cases, including 142 for large-scale smuggling.
The BOC said it has confiscated P2.7 billion worth of smuggled agricultural products as of May 16, 2023.
Several bills have been filed in the Senate to strengthen the anti-agricultural smuggling act.
“Kasalukuyan kasi ang tinutukoy lamang, yung mga private entities pero kaya rin siguro hindi tumitigil sa mahabang panahon o kung may nasasabat man ay kaunting-kaunti ang nakakasuhan, lalo na nako-convict ay dahil hindi kasama yung mga nagko-collude sa loob ng gobyerno,” Senator Risa Hontiveros said.
(The present law refers only to private entities, but maybe the reason it has not stopped for a long time, or if someone is caught it only involves a small amount of goods. If someone get convicted, the others in collusion are not included.)
“Sa tingin nyo ba masaya ako na life imprisonment lang kayo? Magbibigay ako ng panukalang batas na kayo diyan sa Bureau of Customs, na kapag kayo napatunayan na involved sa smuggling, dapat kamatayan din kayo,” Senator Robin Padilla said.
(You think I’m happy that you will only receive life imprisonment? I will file a bill that if Bureau of Customs personnel are found to be involved in smuggling, they should get death penalty.)—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA Integrated News
At least P30 billion worth of agri products smuggled in 2022 — SINAG
Source: Balita News
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