Benguet Lone District Rep. Eric Yap on Sunday, Dec. 11, urged the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to pursue a legal case against so-called agricultural smugglers who illegally import agricultural products into country that directly impacts local farmers.
Benguet Rep. Eric Yap (Photo from Rep. Yap via Fa
House ways and means committee chairman Joey Salceda on Tuesday directed the Department of Justice to utilize the National Bureau of Investigation in strongly prosecuting cases of large-scale smuggling of agricultural products.
Senator Francis Pangilinan on Tuesday questioned the "recanting" statement of an Agriculture assistant secretary who earlier alleged that high-profile individuals are linked to agricultural smuggling in the country.
Farmers in La Trinidad, Benguet, are losing an average of P2.5 million daily since the start of 2022 because of agricultural smuggling, an officer of the League of Association at the LA Trinidad Vegetable Trading Areas said Monday.