Stricter penalties vs agri smugglers urged

A SENATOR on Tuesday called for stricter penalties for agricultural smugglers and government officials involved in the illegal entry of farm goods into the country.

“They are the ones who deserve and should be pursued, not these mere pawns. I don’t want to imprison the small ones, the accomplices, or the smaller fish. There’s no justice in that,” Senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan said in a committee hearing in Filipino.

“The syndicate leaders, especially those in the government, are the ones who should be held accountable,” he added.

The senator also noted that there should be severe penalties for government officials who assist and collude with smugglers.

He added that they could be punished with life imprisonment and permanent disqualification from public service, and confiscation or forfeiture of their assets.

“Those directly involved in smuggling, hiding, transporting, selling, hoarding, conspiring to forge documents, and other acts of economic sabotage, there are so many people who could be charged, but no one has been charged yet,” Mr. Pangilinan said.

Republic Act (RA) No. 12022, the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act, classified agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and its financing as economic sabotage.

The law also imposed fines equivalent to five times the value of any smuggled or hoarded agricultural products, with violators also facing the prospect of life imprisonment.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture conducted a probe into the alleged “consignees for hire” who rent out their import permits to traders or brokers. — Adrian H. Halili