Opening statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros on Agricultural Smuggling Hearing
May 18, 2023

First of all, let me thank the Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture for kindly including my bill, Senate Bill No. 2205, in the bills for consideration in today's hearing at magandang umaga po sa lahat ng mga kasama at resource persons.

Indeed, Madame Chair, this hearing could not be more timely. Noong inaaral ng aking opisina ang mga unfolding developments sa usapin ng pag-angkat ng asukal -- noong unang sugar fiasco pa man, hanggang sa mga usapin sa Sugar Order number 6 - litaw na agad ang isang posibleng gap sa Republic Act No. 10845.

At ito ay ang walang kaparusahan sa mga opisyales ng pamahalaan na tumulong sa mga agricultural smuggler at ginamit ang kanilang opisina para mag-angkat ng agricultural commodities na hindi dumaan sa legal na proseso. Of course, they do not go scot-free because we have Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, but given the gravity of agricultural smuggling and its far-reaching consequences, it seems to me that we also need to punish government officials who allow these acts. In our anti-trafficking law, of which the Chair is also an author, we punish the facilitation of trafficking by public officials as acts of trafficking, sa anti-smuggling laws din natin, nararapat din siguro na we punish the facilitation of smuggling as acts of smuggling.

Kung ginamit natin ang ating opisina para tulungan ang mga smuggler na nagpapabagsak ng ating agrikultura, tayo ay dapat ituring din na smuggler at dapat managot sa ilalim ng batas.

I am very eager to participate in this hearing and to contribute what I have learned in our sugar research to help craft this important piece of legislation. At ang aking panawagan na din siguro sa mga kinauukulan, yaman din lamang na nandito po kayo ngayon bilang mga resource persons - - RA 10845 is still in force and can already be used to prosecute individuals and entities that import agricultural commodities without following the legal process. Sana po may masampolan naman na tayo. It is about time.

Again, my thanks to the Chair and to her Committee. Salamat po.