Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 27) — Sen. Imee Marcos said she wants the immediate preventive suspension of government employees found to be involved in the smuggling of agricultural goods to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s promise of chasing after the smugglers and hoarders.
\”‘Yong mga may report na at kahit papaano may katibayan, siguro ipag-preventive suspension na natin sa lalong madaling panahon tapos imbestigahan nang todo at kasuhan,\” Marcos told a forum on Thursday.
\”Ang dami-dami ng intel report, ang dami-dami ng expose ng media, ano pa yong inaantay natin? Ngayon ang liwa-liwanag ng presidente, ‘Your days are numbered,’ eh gawin nating maliit na number,\” she added.
[Translation: Those officials that were named in reports or have evidence supporting that they are involved in smuggling should be under preventive suspension immediately, then a thorough investigation, and served with a complaint. There are too many intel reports and media exposés, what’s taking so long? The president was clear in saying, \”Your days are numbered,\” then let’s make it a smaller number.]
But she said she doesn’t want to have mass resignations from concerned agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs.
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\”Kailangan parusahan, kung resign-resign lang eh di nakalusot na naman [They should be punished. If they will only resign, then they only got away with it],\” she stressed, adding due process is ensured in probing officials linked to agricultural smuggling.
Asked if an \”anti-smuggling czar\” must be appointed, she replied, \”That’s a good idea but let’s see. We leave it to the better judgment of the president.\”
During his second State of the Nation Address, President Marcos said smugglers, hoarders, and price fixers affect the rising prices of agricultural goods. He warned them that their days are numbered.
READ: Marcos warns agri smugglers, hoarders: Your days are numbered
Last July, the chief executive ordered a probe into the smuggling of onions and other agricultural products, saying the act was equivalent to economic sabotage.
On Tuesday, Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said the owners of four warehouses in Luzon are set to face cases for smuggling sugar, onion, and meat. Names were not disclosed to reporters.
