SEN. Joseph Victor Ejercito has filed a proposed measure to amend RA 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 that will call for tougher penalties on smuggling of agricultural products.
Senate Bill No. 1688 proposes that aside from smuggling, the hoarding, profiteering, and cartels of sugar, corn, pork, garlic, onion, carrots, fish, and cruciferous vegetables worth P1 million, and for rice amounting to P10 million will be considered economic sabotage, with violators to be jailed for not less than 17 years.
Those found guilty will be fined twice the fair value of the profiteered, hoarded, and cartelled agricultural products.
The aggregate amount of the taxes, duties and other charges avoided shall be imposed on the officers of dummy corporations, non-government organizations, associations, cooperatives, or single proprietorships who knowingly sell, lend, lease, assign, consent or allow the unauthorized use of their import permits for purposes of profiteering, hoarding, and cartel.
“However, since the law’s passage in 2016, even if there have been several reports of seizure of smuggled products, there have been no prosecution of individuals, groups or corporations under the law. It may appear that some have mastered how to circumvent the law in order not to be punished,” Ejercito said in the proposed measure’s explanatory note.
“As principal author of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Law, I envisioned that this will be a big boost to the agricultural sector. In light of this, it is high time to introduce amendments to the law in order to address and hopefully end not only smuggling but also issues of hoarding, profiteering and cartel of agricultural products. Our ultimate goal is safeguarding our farmers, consumers, and the agricultural sector, and attaining the goal of food security for the country,” he added.
Sen. Manuel Lapid has filed SB No. 1812 which seeks to amend the same anti-agricultural smuggling law, but included tobacco and cigarettes in the list composed of essential food items like rice, sugar, onions, sugar, and meat, among others.
