Salceda: NBI should be more involved in pursuing cases vs. agri smugglers

House ways and means committee chairman Joey Salceda on Tuesday directed the Department of Justice to utilize the National Bureau of Investigation in  strongly prosecuting cases of large-scale smuggling of agricultural products.

The Albay lawmaker stressed that the NBI should be more involved in pursuing cases against smugglers. He said Republic Act No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act defines large-scale agricultural smuggling as "economic sabotage."

“Large-scale agricultural smuggling is the single gravest sin to Philippine society today. I am disappointed in the Department of Justice that it does not use the efforts of the NBI enough,” Salceda said in a press release.

“I am the father of the National Prosecutor Service, having been the first budget chairman to provide its needed financial requirements during the time of PGMA [former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo]. I am disappointed that those resources are not being optimized to pursue these cases,” Salceda added.

Salceda said the law against agriculture smuggling is being implemented by the Bureau of Corrections, "so there appears to be an issue of clarity about who should take the lead in pursuing these cases."

He also said the police's Criminal Investigation and Detention Group (CIDG), is mandated to monitor, investigate, and prosecute all crimes involving economic sabotage.

“I think we need to clear that up. It appears that RA 10845 will fall under the jurisdiction of this committee as well,” Salceda said.

The lawmaker is also eyeing some amendments to the Special Safeguards Law, such that regardless of whether imported goods are smuggled or not, the safeguards will still apply.

The Senate committee of the whole is also investigating the proliferation of smuggled agricultural products in the Philippine market.

The panel is looking into the issues in the BOC that are related to the smuggling of crops. — BM, GMA News