Agri chief Laurel bares smugglers’ bribery try

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Thursday said a group of smugglers attempted to bribe him to allow the entry of several products into the country.

According to Bernadette Reyes’ “24 Oras” report, Laurel did not disclose the identity of the alleged smugglers but said it occurred after the Department of Agriculture (DA) discovered the supposed transfer of smuggled products from a condemnation facility.

“Sinuhulan ako ng initially P200,000 to  P250,000 per container, 20, tapos umakyat ng P1 million per container. Sinunog namin lahat,” the Agriculture chief said.

(They offered me P200,000 to P250,000 per container, 20. It went up to P1 million per container. We burned it all.)

Laurel also said the DA canceled the import permit of a rice importer that repeatedly misdeclared the amount of rice products it had been importing into the country.

“Dati kasi 'pag dumating 'yung barko tapos 20% lang ang dineclare nila, ina-assume natin, ng buong Pilipinas na 20% lang ang i-a-unload nila, tapos 'yung iba ilalabas nila papunta sa ibang destination,” he added.

(Before, we assume that after unloading the 20% of rice imports that they declare, the ship will go to other destinations.)

The DA is eyeing to blacklist more companies allegedly involved in smuggling in the coming months, Laurel added. Two are in the fish industry, one in sugar, and another company is in the rice sector.

“You will see in the next few months, marami akong iba-black list na kumpanya. 'Yung mga smuggler, kahit kaibigan ko iba-blacklist ko. Alam ko ginagawa nila I am just getting proof. 'Yung mga smugglers are destroying the ndustry by undercutting everybody because of illegal acts,” he added.

(You will see in the next few months, we will blacklist a lot of companies. Even my friends that are involved in smuggling. We are aware of their schemes, we are just gathering proof right now. Smugglers are destroying the industry by undercutting everybody because of illegal acts.)

Local producers hail blacklisting

Local producers welcomed the planned blacklisting of smugglers, saying it would help in setting fair prices in the market.

“So ‘yung unfair practices, ito yung nagpapa-distort din ng presyo doon sa market. ‘Yung mga lehitimo na mga negosyante ay nagpapakahirap, nagtratrabaho at nag ne-negosyo ng tama tapos may mga smuggling na ito,” said Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement Founder Rowena Sadicon.

(Unfair practices distort market prices. Smuggling affect legitimate business entities.)

For its part, the  Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said addressing smuggling also mitigate the public health risks.

“Kapag hindi dumadaan sa mga necessary regulatory requirement itong mga napupunta sa palengke aside from pwedeng maapektuhan ang presyo nalalagay din sa alanganin ang kaligtasan ng publiko,” BFAR Chief Information Officer Nazzer Briguera.

(If products that go to the markets do not undergo necessary regulatory requirement, the prices as well as the health safety of the public is affected.) — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA Integrated News

This article Agri chief Laurel bares smugglers’ bribery try was originally published in GMA News Online.