Senate okays bill vs. agricultural economic sabotage on 2nd reading

The Senate on Wednesday approved on second reading its version of the measure defining agricultural economic sabotage and providing penalties in connection with the crime.

According to Committee Report No. 118 on Senate Bill No. 2432, the act of agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel is considered economic sabotage when the value of each agricultural and fishery product subject of the crime is at least P1 million.

The measure also seeks the creation of an Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council, which will be under and chaired by the President or his designated permanent representative. 

The members will be composed of individuals from the following agencies:

• Department of Agriculture (DA);
• Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);
• Department of Justice (DOJ);
• Department of Finance (DOF);
• Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
• Department of Transportation (DOTr);
• Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC); and
• Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).

There will also be representatives from the following sectors:

• Sugar;
• Rice and Corn;
• Livestock and Poultry;
• Vegetables and Fruits;
• Fisheries and other aquatic products; and
• Tobacco.

The senators said that economic sabotage in agriculture referred to any act or activity that disrupts the economy by creating artificial shortages, promoting excessive importation, manipulating prices and supply, evading payment or underpayment of tariffs and customs duties, threatening local production and food security, gaining excessive or exorbitant profits by exploiting situations, creating scarcity, and entering into agreements that defeat fair competition to the prejudice of the public.

Those who will be found guilty of committing or abetting the punishable acts shall be subject to life imprisonment and shall be fined thrice the value of the agricultural and fishery products subject of the crime.

Government employees shall also be sanctioned with perpetual disqualification from holding public office, exercising the right to vote, from participating in any public election, and forfeiture of employment monetary and financial benefits.

Violators shall suffer the penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification to engage in any business involving importation, transportation, storage and warehousing, and domestic trade of agricultural and fishery products. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in September certified the proposed legislation as “urgent”. —NB, GMA Integrated News