Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero denied on Tuesday, June 28, any involvement in the smuggling of agriculture products after his name was listed in the supposed "validated" list of government officials involved in the illegal activities. In a statement, Guerrero cited the accompl
(Photo courtesy of League of Associations at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post Facebook) MANILA - If proven guilty of agricultural smuggling, government officials involved in the illicit activity should not last a day in office anymore. Neophyte Senator-elect Robin Padilla said employees of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Customs (BOC), among those allegedly involved in massive agriculture smuggling as reported by the Senate Committee of the Whole, should have the "delicadeza" (propriety) to resign. "Sa akin pong palagay, kung sinuman ang mapapatunayan diyan, unang-una mag-resign ka. Dapat ma-uso na sa Pilipinas 'yung ganun eh, 'yung resignation. Kapag medyo na-imbestigahan ka, unahan mo na kaagad ng resignation (I think, whoever will be proven [to be involved] should resign. Resignation should be a trend in the Philippines. Whenever you are being investigated, you should immediately file for resignation)," Padilla said in a press brief
(File photo) MANILA - Officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday denied their supposed involvement in agricultural smuggling in the country. "I vehemently deny the accusations against me on my alleged involvement in agricultural smuggling based on a supposed 'validated' list. Law enforcement agencies such as the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) denied the release or submission of any Intelligence Report from their respective agencies allegedly implicating any BOC official in any smuggling activity," Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said in a statement. The BOC chief's remarks came after he and several other officials of the bureau were named as alleged protectors and smugglers of agricultural products in a report of the Senate Committee of the Whole on Monday. Guerrero said the numerous accomplishments of BOC in its campaign against agricultural smuggli
Top officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) are in the list of suspected smugglers or protectors of smuggling of agri-fishery products worth P667.5-million from 2019 to 2022. The list was submitted to President-elect Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ R. Marcos Jr. by outgoi
FACE ACCUSERS. Agriculture Secretary William Dar delivers his speech during the celebration of the 124th founding anniversary of the Department of Agriculture on June 20. Dar on Monday (June 27, 2022) said agricultural officials identified in a Senate report as alleged smugglers or protectors must be given a chance to face their accusers and defend themselves. (Photo Courtesy: Department of Agriculture) MANILA - Outgoing Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar said Monday agriculture officials tagged in a Senate report as "agricultural smugglers or protectors" in the country must be given a chance to face their accusers. In a Viber message, Dar said these officials, which were included in the intelligence report submitted to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, must be able to defend themselves. "Let the three officials named in the report be given a chance to face their accusers, and defend themselves in the proper forum," he said. Dar made the statemen