Marcos to BOC, DA: Step up fight vs. agri smuggling

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

INTENSIFIED EFFORTS. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio (1st and 2nd from left) inspect the shipment containing PHP178 million worth of frozen mackerel from China at the Manila International Container Terminal in Tondo, Manila on Oct. 30, 2024. After an inspection of the smuggled goods on Saturday (Dec. 14), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Agriculture to intensify efforts against the smuggling of agricultural products to maintain the quality of the country’s food supply. (Photo courtesy of BOC)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday directed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to intensify the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

Marcos’ directive for stronger action against smugglers disrupting the supply chain follows his inspection of PHP178.5 million worth of smuggled frozen mackerel at Manila International Container Terminal in Tondo, Manila.

He acknowledged that smuggling affects the prices of agricultural products in the local market.

“Kaya’t ito ‘yung buong tinatawag na chain na kailangan nating buwagin (So, this is the entire so-called chain that we need to dismantle),” Marcos said.

“I hope, this is the first of many operations such as this dahil (because) this is very, very important. At, kailangan nating ma-control, kailangan nating ma-supervise ang ating food supply. Kapag ka tuloy-tuloy ang ginagawang ganito hindi natin magagawa ‘yun (And we need to control, we need to supervise our food supply. If it continues, we won’t be able to do it),” he added.

Marcos said the seizure of the smuggled mackerel marks the first case filed under RA 12022.

He said the coordination among concerned agencies played a key part in the confiscation of the frozen mackerel.

“As I said, is the first case under the new law of the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act. So, I’ve spoken to our Bureau of Customs, and I’ve spoken to the Department of Agriculture and we have to keep going. Kailangang patibayin pa natin ito (We have to intensify this),” Marcos said.

Marcos inspected the 21 containers of frozen mackerel shipment imported from China that was confiscated for lack of necessary import clearance.

Officials said the shipment, consigned to Pacific Sealand Foods Corp., violated DA Memorandum Order No. 14, s. 2024, which suspends the issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances for the importation of round scads, mackerel and bonito.

The BOC has seized PHP5.87 billion worth of smuggled agricultural products from July 2022 to November 2024, as part of government efforts to address agricultural sabotage.

The agency filed 250 cases involving agricultural products worth PHP8.59 billion from 2018 to 2024.

The BOC recorded four convictions involving illicit importation of agricultural products.