DA Calls for Expanded Role โin Anti-Smuggling Efforts
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) โis seeking amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act to grant it direct enforcement โฃpowers,arguing its exclusion from โthe core enforcement group hinders efforts โคto combat agriculturalโข smuggling. DA spokesman Arnel de โขMesa stated the โฃagency’s current position limits its effectiveness in tackling the issue.
Theโฃ Anti-Agricultural โEconomic Sabotage Enforcement group – โcomprised of the National Bureau of Examination, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine โCoast Guard, and the Department of Finance – was established underโ Republicโค Act 12022.โ While the DA is a member of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council, it โis indeed not part of the enforcement team.โค
The DA is requesting a repeal of Section 18โฃ of RA 12022 to allow its inclusion in the enforcement group.deโค Mesa explained thatโ theโ DA’s regulatoryโ bureaus – including those for Plant and Animal Industry, and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – possess crucial data onโ agriculturalโ commodity imports,โ making themโ a valuable asset to โขthe โขteam.
“The DA would be an โasset to the group,since the agency’s โขregulatory bureausโฆhave the data on agricultural commodities entering the ports,” de Mesa said.
The DA also advocates for a review of the current P10 million threshold for offenses to be considered economic sabotage, arguing it is too high forโข typical smuggled goods.De Mesa noted that the high threshold necessitates a largeโ volume of smuggled, frequently enough inexpensive, goods before an investigation can be launched, allowing the goods to impact market prices and inventories in the meantime. He called for a thorough reviewโค considering the varyingโ values of different agricultural commodities.
Since January 2024, the DAโ has intercepted approximatelyโข P3.78 billion worth of smuggled goods in 182 operations, โฃincluding vegetables โฃlike onions and carrots, andโ also fish and rice. The agency believes direct enforcement capabilities would enable it to monitor all ports and further bolster its anti-smuggling efforts. The proliferation of these smuggled goods, the DA says, negatively impacts the livelihoods of โฃlocal โขfarmers andโข fishers.
