DOJ-led task force lists govt agencies, execs linked in agri product smuggling

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin

the entry of commodities, including the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Plant Industry and other offices in the Department of Agriculture as well as those who have influence in the supply side of agricultural commodities,” he added.

He said the task force has adopted a multi-pronged approach in addressing the issue of smuggling, which entails the involvement of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

“ This is a multi-pronged approach.

This does not involve the prosecutors only but all other agencies that can be used to go after those involved in this kind of anomaly and bring them to justice,” Remulla said. He added the result of the factfinding on agricultural smuggling might be known in the “next two weeks,” while the conduct of the probe for the possible filing of charges might take at least two months.

Remulla made the assurance following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 2nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) where he warned smugglers and hoarders of agricultural products that their days are numbered.

The DOJ secretary said they are now looking into several names of individuals connected in various government agencies involved in the importation, supply and distribution of agricultural products.

R emulla identified the agencies as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and other agencies

DOTr rushing infrastructure for transportation, to focus on public modes of mobility

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The momentum is gaining. We are fast-tracking the developments with the approval of flagship projects and the medium-term development plan. The plan has been laid out. The DPWH will continue to be on a fast mode,” he said.

Bonoan noted that the agency will be needing at least the same amount of budget for 2024 to continue ramping up infrastructure development.

“All the other roads that we are talking about, that’s a lot of projects. This year we have a total budget of about P890 billion and we are hoping that we will have the same investment next year. As the President says, we are going to infuse [investments] into the infrastructure program by five to six percent of the GDP,” he said.

D uring his second State of the Nation Address, President Marcos committed to alloting five to six percent of the GDP for infrastructure development, one that he said is hinged on the idea of interconnectivity across “all prospective sites of economic development.” with similar mandate.

He pointed out that garlic-onion smuggling operations have been operating for 15 years, or since 2008, and may involve bribes running “in the billions of pesos.”

We are looking at some individuals who may be involved in this, including those that may be behind the increase in the prices of products in the market, we are talking here about onion and garlic,” the justice chief said.

There are names that we are closely looking at from several agencies involved in issuing permits for

The DOJ is likely to file a case of economic sabotage against those involved in the smuggling, hoarding and price fixing of onion and other agricultural products.

E arlier, Remulla said at least six to seven names would always come out in probes about smuggling. “ There are around six or seven names that come out whenever we look at the whole picture. So we already have an idea. We just have to catch them in the act,” Remulla said.

A mong the members of the AASTF are the Office of the Prosecutor General headed by Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento, Fadullon and the National Bureau of Investigation headed by Director Medardo de Lemos.

T he AASTF’s probe encompasses violations of Republic Act 10845, also known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, among others.

T he said law specifically targets the illegal importation of agricultural products and imposes severe penalties on offenders.

A side from smuggling, Remulla said the department would be pursuing cases related to crimes of profiteering and hoarding, which are recognized as acts of economic sabotage.

Cayetano expects ‘concrete’ action plan vs smugglers after SONA 2023

SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano said Monday he expects the administration to lay down its concrete plans for catching agriculture smugglers in the coming weeks following the President’s SONA.

“ When he said, ‘ Bilang na ang araw niyo [Your days are numbered],’ what does that mean? Let’s wait for that,” Cayetano said in a media interview immediately after the SONA on Monday.

H e was referring to President Marcos’s pronouncement that the administration will run after and file charges against individuals and entities that have been smuggling and hoarding agricultural products.