Faeldon urged to file economic sabotage raps vs rice smugglers

MANILA, Philippines -- An agriculture industry group urged Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon to immediately file economic sabotage charges against a firm and all those who helped it, including government personnel, in an alleged attempt to smuggle 12 40-foot containers of rice into the country.

“This is another litmus test on the resolve of Commissioner Faeldon to combat smuggling, there is already a law in place -- RA 10845, that decreed the smuggling of agricultural products as an act that constitute economic sabotage, a non-bailable offense,” said Rosendo So, chairman of the Samahang Industriya sa Agrikultura, in a statement Wednesday.

The smuggling attempt was allegedly carried out by RPR International Trading, its brokers and agents with help from “cohorts in government,” SINAG said.

The group said it was not enough to suspend the accreditation of the shipment’s consignee.

“We are hoping that this time, these smugglers will be apprehended, charged and punished accordingly. Many in the agriculture sector voted for President Digong because of his campaign promise to end smuggling,” So said.

Under Republic Act 10845, the minimum value of smuggled agricultural products to qualify as economic sabotage are P10 million for rice, P1 million for other products such as sugar, corn, pork, poultry, garlic, onion, carrots, fish and cruciferous vegetables.

The law punishes economic sabotage with life imprisonment and a fine of twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural products plus the aggregate amount of the taxes, duties and other charges avoided.

The BOC has already appraised the value of the rice RPR allegedly attempted to smuggle at P20 million.

SINAG also reiterated its demand for the BOC to file economic sabotage charges against Sanfred Trading and Great Light Trading, the consignees of 88 40-foot vans that contained red onions when the import permit issued was for garlic and ginger.

“Wala pang nakakasuhan ng economic sabotage kaya’t malakas pa rin ang loob ng mga smugglers na ito at tuloy ang kanilang ligaya (No one has been charged with economic sabotage so smugglers are emboldened to continue),” So said.

SINAG said its research suggests that close to P200 billion worth of agricultural goods were smuggled into the country over the last five years, with rice accounting for P94 billion, the largest commodity. Smuggled pork came to P40 billion, then sugar, P25 billion.

Other commonly smuggled commodities were chicken, garlic, onion and carrots.

The total value of smuggled agricultural products, said SINAG, translates to around P60-80 billion in lost revenues for the government based on the 30-40 percent tariff levied on these commodities.