PCCI welcomes creation of anti-agri smuggling court

PCCI has expressed it support to the bill filed by Senator Cynthia Villar seeking the creation of an Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Court.  The bill aims to protect the local agricultural industry and farmers from the rampant smuggling of agricultural products.

Senate Bill 1963 or “An act establishing anti-agricultural smuggling court, granting them exclusive original jurisdiction over cases involving agricultural products, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes,” will give the court exclusive and original jurisdiction over cases involving smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel of agricultural products to hold individuals and organizations involved in illegal activities accountable for their actions.

“They (smugglers) should be criminalized. Ang madedemanda dito ay mayayaman. The only way para matigil ang smuggling is makulong sila. Dapat nakakulong sila habang tina-try ang case,” Villar said during the May 2 Senate hearing by the Joint Committees on Justice and Human Rights and the Agriculture, Food, Agrarian Reform and Finance.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry President George T. Barcelon welcomed the proposal that he believes would provide protection to farmers and the agriculture industry in general. He said with the anti-agri court the dispensation of duties will be focused and decisions can be made swiftly.

“I believe a court that is solely dedicated to hearing smuggling and other related cases is very important if we are to address the issue of smuggling and put unscrupulous individuals to jail,” Barcelon said. 

Dr. Larry Lacson, vice chair, PCCI Agriculture and Fishery Committee suggested that the bill also consider providing incentives to prosecutors and judges for every successful conviction. “This would help our courts function efficiently and effectively.  It would also deter bribing the judges,” Lacson explained.

He said that one of the major problems of the agriculture sector is the volatile farm gate prices brought by the many factors but central to it is smuggling as it dampens prices of commodities and creates undue competition.

Members of the Philippine Justice Association present during the meeting expressed their support to Villar’s proposal. Judge Danilo Cruz of the Manila Regional Trial Court, however, proposed the designation of a special court exclusively to handle smuggling cases without having to legislate a special court/body.

Under the present system, there are already designated courts to hear various cases created by law and through designation as provided by law. 

“There are several judges at large that have no assignment and they can be designated to handle exclusively the smuggling case. The special body can act swiftly on any smuggling cases and can be replicated in other regions,” he said, adding that the special court will function similarly to Ombudsman and  SandiganBayan.

According to Food and Fertilizer Center for the Asian and Pacific Region (FFTCAP), from 1986-2009, at least $1.96 biiiion worth of rice had been smuggled in the Philippines. Other products that were smuggled into to country were refined sugar worth $ 448.2 million, onion ($ 259.6 million), pork ($117.5 million),chicken ($ 27.8 million), ginger ($ 7.8 million), and carrots and turnips ($ 6.5 million). --- Donna B. Angulo