Bill seeks to punish gov’t officials involved in agricultural smuggling
A SENATOR has filed a measure that will penalize government officials or employees involved in the smuggling of agricultural goods.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) No. 10845 of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.
“Since the law’s passage in 2016, even if there have been many reports of the seizure of smuggled products, there has been no prosecution of individuals, groups, or corporations under the law,” Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros said in Senate Bill No. 2205.
“There has been no prosecution of government officials for facilitating and abetting acts of agricultural smuggling that amount to large-scale economic sabotage. As a result, smuggling activities continue with impunity,” she added.
The proposed measure aims to clarify that large scale agricultural smuggling with the goods worth at least P10 million, as valued by the Customs bureau, is committed if a public employee or officer allowed or approved importation without the required permits from regulatory agencies regardless if the civil servant has a “pecuniary interest” or received material benefit or advantage.
A violation is also committed upon “approving or granting any license, export declaration, clearance or permit knowing that the same is manifestly unlawful, inequitable, or irregular, whether or not there is a pecuniary interest or material benefit or advantage on the part of the public employee or officer.”
The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said last month that it has seized over P19 million worth of smuggled goods in the first quarter of 2023.
BoC also said it is working with the Justice department to speed up prosecutions of agricultural smugglers. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
