President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to intensify enforcement of Republic Act No. (RA) 12022, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
The order follows the inspection of P178.5 million worth of smuggled mackerel in Manila over the weekend.
Marcos Jr. stressed the need for stronger action against smugglers disrupting the supply chain and driving up the prices of agricultural products.
The seizure of the smuggled mackerel marks the first case filed under the RA 12022, a priority measure of the Marcos administration, he noted.
The Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act repeals RA 10845 (Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016), with tougher enforcement mechanisms.
“Kaya’t ito ‘yung buong tinatawag na chain na kailangan nating buwagin,” according to the President.
“At ito’y, as I said, is the first case under the new law of the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act. So, I’ve spoken to our Bureau of Customs, and I’ve spoken to the Department of Agriculture and we have to keep going. Kailangang patibayin pa natin ito,” he added.
Marcos Jr. said the seized mackerel will be distributed to families in evacuation centers through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other groups like the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Authorities reported that on September 28 and 29, a total of 58,800 cartons of frozen mackerel from China arrived at the MICP.
The shipment violated DA Memorandum Order No. 14, s. 2024, which suspends the issuance of import permits for round scads, mackerel, and bonito.
From July 2022 to November 2024, the BOC P5.87 billion worth of smuggled agricultural products. The agency has filed 250 cases involving agricultural products worth P8.59 billion from 2018 to 2024, resulting in four convictions.IMT
