LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet caretaker congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap vowed of more aggressive anti-smuggling operations in the different parts of the country following the seizure by a joint task force led by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of six container vans containing misdeclared vegetable cargos at the new Container Terminal in Subic Bay, Zambales last week.
The lawmaker claimed that this recent seizure done of more than P30 million worth of misdeclared vegetables is a testament of his relentless prodding of the BOC to curb the smuggling of vegetables that directly compete with locally produced ones which is detrimental to the country’s agriculture industry.
In a report, the BOC stated that the 6 containers were inspected by the members of the joint task force composed of officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and seaport personnel upon arrival in the New Container Terminal in Subic Bay.
According to the BOC, the aforesaid containers were labelled as mixed dimsum from China but was later discovered by the joint task force personnel as assorted vegetables following the confiscation.
Subsequently, the BOC immediately issued a warrant of seizure and detention of the cargo as evident violation committed by the consignee of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and DA Order No. 18, series of 2000 and Republic Act (RA) 1086.
Moreover, 2 more containers believed to be loaded with smuggled vegetables consigned to the same company are currently being held for examination and inspection by the task force.
Dispelling rumors of his alleged inaction against smuggling, Congressman Yap, in a forum with members of the Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), truckers and traders associations, stated that he earlier sought for a congressional inquiry on the entry of smuggled vegetables in the country that did not push through after having been overtaken by events.
However, Yap did not stop there and instead went directly to the BOC and prodded them to immediately act on the unabated entry of smuggled vegetables in the country.
“Yung inquiry matagal kaya ang ginawa ko ay dumiretso ako sa BOC at maganda naman yung result. Ito po yung mga steps na ginagawa natin and alam ko hindi madaling puksain ang smuggling,” Yap stressed.
The caretaker congressman told agriculture industry stakeholders in the province that individuals who are suspected to be in cahoots with smugglers have already been relieved by their superiors.
“Yung sinasabi ko na kasabwat sa smuggling ay na-relieve na po sa kanilang mga puwesto at pinalitan. Itong pagbabantay sa smuggling ay walang katapusan. Kailangan sipagan ang pagbabantay,” he added.
Aside from the continuous and vigilant monitoring of smuggled vegetables, Yap disclosed that other long-term solutions are being laid out to help the farmers in Benguet and that the same includes construction of farm to market roads in the province.
“Noong dumating ako ng Benguet noong 2020, nakita ko, 2 kilometers every year lang ang farm to market roads. Yung two kilometers nagawa nating forty kilometers at ngayong 2022, forty kilometers ulit,” the solon stipulated.
