The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday, April 26, assured it is speeding up its investigation on the alleged smuggling of agricultural products into the country.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, gave the assurance in response to appeals made by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday, April 25, for the DOJ to expedite the investigation.
“I have directed the NBI (National Bureau of to conduct its own independent investigation of reports regarding rampant smuggling of certain agricultural products, including palm oil declared as animal feeds but actually converted and utilized as vegetable cooking oil,” Guevarra cited.
“I have also directed our state prosecutors to check their dockets and speed up the preliminary investigation of agricultural smuggling complaints, if there be any, and pursue their prosecution in court,” he added.
Guevarra also disclosed that the DOJ and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) are “also coordinating efforts to build up cases against persons, both in the government and private sectors, who are suspected of participation in agricultural smuggling activities, with a view to the filing of administrative and criminal cases against them.”
During Monday’s Laging Handa public briefing, DA Undersecretary Fermin Adriano called on the DOJ to speed up its investigation.
“Kinakailangan talagang pagibayuhin ng DOJ ang pag-prosecute nito at sana bilisan nila (The DOJ needs to expand and speed up its prosecution.). We are trying to lobby, to advocate to the DOJ to make the process much faster,” Adriano said.
The DA official pointed out that, once examples have been made, this would discourage smuggling.
He lamented that the government is losing money from smuggling and the economic impact on farmers is huge.