5 days ago
Marcos sees spike in agri smuggling as national security threat
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is seeing the recent spike in agricultural commodity smuggling as a national security threat, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Monday.
Tiu Laurel said Marcos already directed law enforcement and intelligence agencies to assist the Department of Agriculture (DA) in addressing the illicit trade, which affects the country's food security.
'The President has directed the DA to throw the book at the consignees and all those involved in smuggling these agricultural products. By the end of the year, we hope to see many of those responsible handcuffed, facing charges,' Tiu Laurel said in a press release.
He said Marcos is concerned about the damage these market-disruptive practices cause to local farmers, fisherfolk, and legitimate businesses.
'This not only harms the economy but fosters corruption at multiple levels,' the DA chief said.
Tiu Laurel said he already met with newly appointed Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre, and representatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) ''to devise strategies for targeting smuggling syndicates.''
He added that customs brokers would also face legal consequences as part of efforts to enforce the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law, the Food Safety Act, and the Customs Code.
Imported goods, primarily from the Port of Xiamen, are under heightened scrutiny as most of the smuggled goods are shipped out of the Chinese port, according to Tiu Laurel. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
