House OKs tougher penalties vs. agricultural economic sabotage

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the bill imposing tougher penalties on saboteurs of basic commodities.

A total of 289 House members voted in favor of House Bill No.  9284 or the proposed Agri-Fishery Commodities and Tobacco Economic Sabotage Act of 2023. No one objected.

The bill now classifies large-scale agri-fishery commodities and tobacco smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, cartelizing and other acts of market abuse as economic sabotage punishable by life imprisonment.

“The State shall impose higher sanctions for large-scale smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, cartelizing and other acts of market abuse of agri-fishery commodities or tobacco, and to public officials or employees who take part in, tolerate or consent to the doing of the same as a self-preservation measure to shield itself from the manipulative scheme of economic saboteurs," it said.

It added the higher penalties also aim to "protect the livelihood of our farmers and fisherfolk to ensure their economic well-being and that of consumers."

Apart from jail sentence, the measure also imposes a fine on economic saboteurs of six times the fair market value of the commodities, and the aggregate amount of taxes, duties and other charges avoided, plus interests.

the penalty shall be the maximum and the offender shall suffer an additional penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification from public office, to vote and to participate in any public election,” the bill said.

The measure amends Republic Act No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.—LDF, GMA Integrated News