Sotto vows crackdown on agri smugglers if he, Lacson win in Eleksyon 2022

Vice presidential candidate and Senate President Vicente Sotto III promised to protect the agriculture sector against smugglers if he and presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson are elected in Eleksyon 2022.

In a statement, the lawmaker promised prosecution of vegetable smugglers as well as their backers in the government, saying these unscrupulous individuals would face charges within a year of their administration and would be sent to jail before their term ends.

“Nanawagan po ako sa ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at pati sa ating poultry at hog raisers na tulungan kami ni Sen. Lacson na mailuklok bilang pangulo at pangalawang pangulo ng ating bansa nang tuluyan na natin maipahinto at mapakulong ang mga sindikato sa likod ng agricultural smuggling dito sa ating bansa,” Sotto said.

(We are calling on our farmers, fishermen, and poultry and hog raisers to help me and Senator Lacson in this election so we can stop and jail the syndicates behind agricultural smuggling in our country.)

The vice presidential bet lamented that agricultural smugglers were not punished under the Duterte administration.

“Nakakalungkot na sa loob ng anim na taon ng administration ito ay bokya ang naging conviction rate ng ating pamahalaan sa kabila ng pagkakahuli ng napakaraming suspected smugglers," he said.

(It is saddening that during the six-year term of this administration, there was a zero conviction rate despite the arrests of the suspected smugglers.)

"Imbes na sila ay mapakulong, namayagpag pa ang mga masasamang loob na ito at naging lantaran pa ang kanilang iligal na pag-aangkat ng mga agricultural products. Hindi mangyayari ito sa ilalim ng Lacson-Sotto administration. Babaguhin namin ang bulok na sistemang ito ng pamahalaan,” he added.

(Instead of jailing them, they even had the opportunity to continue their illegal importation of agricultural products. This will not happen under a Lacson-Sotto administration. We will change this rotten system.)

In a Senate hearing, the lawmakers learned from the Bureau of Customs that 103 cases related to agricultural smuggling had been filed from 2016 to March 2022, involving some P1.35 billion worth of goods including duties and taxes.

Sotto noted that the National Prosecution Service filed agricultural smuggling-related cases only against four people, including one that was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

The senators also learned that there were around 20 individuals, including the so-called "protectors," who were included in the National Intelligence Coordination Agency's (NICA) list of persons allegedly involved in agricultural smuggling.

“Bubuwagin po natin ang mga sindikatong ito. Sisiguruhin po natin na makukulong ang mga dapat makulong. Iaangat po nating muli ang angkat ng kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Tututukan natin ang agriculture industry nang sa gayon ay manatiling maayos ang suplay ng ating bigas at fishery, meat and chicken products. Sa pamahalaang Lacson-Sotto, aangat ang buhay ng mga Pinoy,” Sotto said.

(We will abolish these syndicates. We will make sure that those who are involved will be jailed. We will uplift the lives of our farmers and fisherfolk. We will focus on the agriculture industry so we can secure a steady supply of rice, fish, meat, and chicken products.) — DVM, GMA News