Syndicates from China are allegedly colluding with some Filipino businessmen and government officials to smuggle smuggled agri products. According to Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, there is sufficient evidence showing the connection of the Bureau of Customs, NBI, PNP, DA, and even some officials from the DOJ and BI in the operation.
The senator exposed the P68 million (approximately ₱3.9 billion) shipment of frozen mackerel from China that was declared as chicken poppers. He added that the frozen fish caught may have come directly from the West Philippine Sea—stolen from Filipino fishermen and sold back to us.
Pangilinan also mentioned that this is similar to POGO operations, where there is collusion between foreigners and local accomplices. Agricultural smuggling, he said, is a form of economic sabotage punishable by life imprisonment and a fine of three times the value of the products.
The senator also warned of the dangers of smuggled goods because they do not undergo proper testing to determine whether they are safe to eat. For Pangilinan, every false declaration of a shipment is not only a fraud on farmers and consumers, but also a clear mockery of the law and an aggravation of corruption in the government.
He expressed a promise to continue the Senate investigation to hunt down all those involved in the smuggling syndicate.
