Senator Kiko Pangilinan delivered a privilege speech recently raising concerns about the continuing impunity of large-scale agricultural smugglers and lamenting why they remain unpunished.
Pangilinan took the floor to deliver his speech on the state of the country’s agricultural sector, pointing out how agricultural smuggling inflicts heavy losses on Filipino farmers and fisherfolk and undermines food security.
The veteran legislator noted that while local producers continue to struggle with rising costs and unfair competition from smuggled goods, smugglers remain unaccountable.
“Sa usapin ng smuggling ng produktong agrikultura, ito ang pumapatay sa mga lokal na mga producers ng bigas, baboy, manok, gulay atbp.,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
“Mula noong 2016 nung naipasa ang batas na ginawang non-bailable ang smuggling ng produktong agrikultura…. sa awa ng Diyos, hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring nakukulong na smuggler o importer.”
“Hanggang ngayon, mula noong 2016 noong naipasa ang batas na ginawang non-bailable ang smuggling ng produktong agrikultura halagang 1 million sa isda at gulay hanggang 10 million sa bigas, sa awa ng Diyos, hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring nakukulong na smuggler o importer,” the senator added.
While he noted that three cases were filed under the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act in September 2024, no warrants of arrest have been issued and suspected smugglers or importers continue to roam free.
In particular, Pangilinan lamented the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) reports on the P100 million worth of smuggled frozen meat in Cavite, P100 million worth of onions and garlic in Marilao, Bulacan, P115 million worth of onions in Subic, and P1.9 billion worth of imported rice.
“Sa halip na bumabaha ng korapsyon, dapat bumabaha ng solusyon,” he stressed.
Pangilinan, however, said he has high hopes for DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, both of whom have expressed their willingness and commitment to go after smugglers and abusive importers.
The chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform was a former Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization during the Aquino administration who was responsible for running after smugglers, abusive traders, and erring government officials.
In that capacity, Pangilinan led the confiscation of thousands of tons of hoarded rice and saved the government billions of pesos worth of overpriced imported rice.
He also decried the continuous corruption in government agencies mandated to protect the agricultural sector.
“Habang tadtad tayo ng natural disasters sa hanay ng agrikultura, tadtad din tayo ng man-made disasters.”
“Habang tadtad tayo ng natural disasters sa hanay ng agrikultura, tadtad din tayo ng man-made disasters,” Pangilinan said, pointing out the rampant rigged and overpriced bidding for fertilizers, tractors, and pesticides, as well as issues of ghost deliveries and fake farmer-beneficiaries.
“Kung hindi sa usapin ng makupad na kilos ng gobyerno o kakulangan ng tauhan at pondo, man-made disaster din ang pangungurakot sa gobyerno [at] sa lantarang smuggling ng produktong agrikultura, sabwatan ng mga traders, middlemen, importers, brokers, smugglers, sabwatan nila sa ilang mga nasa DA, BOC (Bureau of Customs), BIR, NFA, NBI, PNP pati rin ang mga pribadong mga bangko,” he explained.
