NextGen Day

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has committed to pressing charges against high-ranking government officials accused of facilitating the spread of illicit agricultural products in the country.

Noel Reyes, DA Assistant Secretary, and Spokesperson requested the public to report anyone who may have been involved in the illegal act.

“Kung may kilala po kayo, sabihin lang po ninyo ang pangalan, para magawan natin ng kaukulang administrative charges, mahirap ‘yung pahapyaw lang (If you know anyone, identify them),” he stated in a teleradio interview on Tuesday.

According to the League of Associations at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Areas, the proliferation of smuggled vegetable goods has been a decades-long problem in the country, resulting in a daily loss of PHP2.5 million on carrots alone.

Farmers and the DA’s Marketing Department may be able to work together to lessen the impact of the smuggling problem, according to Reyes.

“Kami po ang tulong namin diyan, sumadya sila sa Department of Agriculture, makipag-ugnayan po sa Marketing namin, sa Kadiwa, para madala dito sa Metro Manila ang kanilang mga produkto, makabawi man lang sa product cost (Our assistance could be, they could go to the Department of Agriculture and coordinate with our Marketing team, in Ka

DA Secretary William Dar criticized the said anonymous high-ranking people and the unlawful import of various vegetable products shortly after a Senate hearing on smuggling on Monday.

“Whoever these individuals are, we condemn them, and we at DA will take immediate and firm action to censure those implicated among our ranks, officials, and employees.” We will bring administrative proceedings against these individuals if they are proven guilty… He remarked, “I condemn this heinous crime of smuggling and traffickers in general.”

Untouchables

Several senators criticized the ‘rampant’ continuance of ‘technological smuggling,’ as though they were being shielded, during the Senate session.

“Dito walang kilos kahit lantaran, yes compromised, may nakukumpromiso sa BOC at DA, at may mga untouchables, ayaw nilang habulin, masyado sigurong malapit sa mga nakaupo,” Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan said.

“Malakas ang loob ni technical smugglers (technical smugglers are brazen),” he says, despite the fact that he went through a lengthy application process. I’ve shared a lot of my personal information. Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III remarked, “I will still do it, hoping or knowing that I will not be charged, or that the matter will be dismissed… somehow feels na mayroon siyang protection.”

Technical smuggling is said to be possible because smugglers follow legal procedures to obtain an import permit or accreditation, but they do so by misusing or misdeclaring data and/or products.

Meanwhile, DA Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste Jr. revealed that he has been contacted by several high-profile individuals to facilitate such activities.

“May mga tumatawag sa akin noon, mga matatas na tao, pero ang ginawa ko po dun, di ko na po inaksyunan, instead, tinuloy pa rin namin yung paghuli,’yung pagkaso.” (There were others that phoned me, high-profile folks, but what I did, I did not answer, and we still went ahead with the arrest and filing of cases.) It has many branches and deep roots),” he explained.

Senate President Vicente Sotto then demanded the identities of the aforementioned high-ranking officials, emphasizing that allowing such products into the country constitutes a health risk, given they contain formaldehyde. Laciste consented to write their names down.

“It’s a carcinogen that’s sprayed on vegetables to keep them fresh, and it’s used in building materials, cleaning goods, glues, and adhesives.” Ito’yung pinakakakain ng mga smuggler na ito, sarap isaksak sa bunganga nila yung mga iniismuggle nila, wala pang kinikita ‘yung gobyerno “It’s preferable to feed them illicit things because the government doesn’t have any money,” Sotto added.

Both the DA and the BOC urged the automation and modernization of import procedures and the customs system to combat smuggling during the same hearing.

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