Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 27) — Senator JV Ejercito has filed a bill seeking to widen the scope of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, imposing stringent penalties for hoarders, profiteers, and cartels of agricultural products.
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Senate Bill 1688 wants hoarding, profiteering, and operations of cartels of sugar, corn, pork, poultry, garlic, onion, carrots, fish and cruciferous vegetables with a minimum amount of ₱1 million or of rice with a minimum amount of ₱10 million to be considered as economic sabotage.
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“I composed the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling law which was passed in 2016, which already classifies large-scale smuggling of agriculture products as economic sabotage and therefore a heinous crime. But 7 years after its passage, it has evolved that the Department of Agriculture (DA) and agencies have been issuing left and right import permits,” Ejercito told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Friday.
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Aside from smuggling, cartels, profiteering, and hoarding have become rampant, leading to higher prices of agricultural commodities, like what recently happened with onions, he noted.
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Depending on the recommendations of agricultural sector stakeholders, Ejercito said he may also consider lowering the amounts to go after more people who are into such illegal activities.
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The bill also imposes the same penalties under the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act for those who will engage in hoarding, profiteering, and cartel operations. They may face life imprisonment based on the current law.
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Instead of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) alone implementing the provisions of the law, an Inter-Agency Council on Economic Intelligence will be created that is “mandated to enforce the provisions of this act and to principally combat smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel,” the bill read.
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This will be co-chaired by the Agriculture, Trade, and Justice departments along with the BoC, and will include various law enforcing agencies.
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Possible conspiracy
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Ejercito also expressed disappointment that relevant authorities have failed to imprison any large-scale smugglers despite knowing who they are. There is a need to amend this law amid the possibility of conspiracy among smugglers and government officials, he noted.
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On Jan. 16, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel made a similar statement saying he believes criminals have conspired with the Department of Agriculture and the BoC that led to the onion crisis that is affecting both farmers and consumers.
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The Customs bureau has denied the allegations that it is working with smugglers.
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