LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet caretaker congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap underscored that he was never in the vegetable business that is why reports on his alleged involvement in the smuggling of agricultural crops are unfounded, unfair and malicious.
Yap stated that such reports linking him to the smuggling of agricultural crops are obviously the handy works of his detractors who are desperate in trying to ruin his image and personality before the people of the province.
The lawmaker pointed out that because of his earlier prodding and his decision to join the operations of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) against unscrupulous smugglers, the government has gained headway in the campaign to curb the unabated entry of smuggled vegetables that directly compete with locally produced ones.
Further, Congressman Yap claimed that BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero is on top of the situation and that he had been acceding to his suggestions and recommendations, particularly the reshuffling of customs officials, especially in Subic which was identified as the major source of smuggled vegetables that had been flooding the country’s markets in the previous months.
“Since I was assigned in Benguet as the legislative caretaker, there were a number of influential individuals who did not really like my being here. What I promised the people is that I will be here to help uplift the status of the province and render service to the best of my ability, no more, no less. Despite the criticisms which are now going too personal, I will still continue to work to fulfill what I promised to the people of Benguet which is genuine public service,” Congressman Yap stressed.
According to him, he is continuously making representations with the concerned government agencies for the sustained upliftment of the province’s agriculture sector being the major source of livelihood of the people that is why it is not true that he is undermining the industry that is feeding his constituents.
Congressman Yap disclosed that he was able to convince the agriculture department to procure some 13 trucks that will be distributed to the 13 towns of the province to be used in extending assistance to the farmers in the hauling of their produce from their farms to the nearest markets.
On the other hand, as part of his established mobile ‘tulong’ program, he was able to acquire a truck that will also be used for the same purpose for free and on a first come, first serve basis which negates the misinformation being spread against him by his critics unjustly linking him to the smuggling of vegetables in the country.
Congressman Yap challenged his detractors to instead go out of their way and extend assistance to the people who had been heavily impacted by the ongoing pandemic so that their presence will be felt instead of spreading false information that tend to destroy the good image that he was able to establish while working as the province’s legislative caretaker in just over 2 years.
