MANILA (September 3) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Monday that seizures of counterfeit agriculture and fishery items had totaled P3.78 billion over the last 17 months, with 20 importers now blacklisted by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
The DA stated that the information was provided in a report to the Senate agriculture committee, which is chaired by Senator Francis Pangilinan.
Tiu Laurel stated in his report that the agency’s inspectorate and enforcement office conducted 182 operations between January 2024 and July of this year.
“We’ve blacklisted 20 importers under my watch – 13 of whom were operating without licenses,” he stated.
The DA revealed that one high-profile case featured an onion importer who is currently incarcerated at the Manila City Jail and faces various counts in Manila and Olongapo courts.
Tiu Laurel said that the agency is pursuing more cases as it gathers evidence. Nonetheless, he added that Republic Act 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, passed by President Marcos last year, fell short of its objectives.
While the law enhanced punishments for smugglers, it also raised the threshold for incidents that qualify as economic sabotage, making them more difficult to prosecute.
The DA also said that the law did not grant the department direct enforcement authority, leaving it reliant on other agencies to take action against smugglers.
“The law is a start in the right direction, but without enforcement authority, our hands are tied. We cannot fully protect our farmers and fishermen,” Tiu Laurel stated.
He advocated for increased collaboration with the Bureau of Customs and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the establishment of a permanent secretariat mandated by law and led by the DA.
“This fight is far from over,” Tiu Laurel explained.
