DA role in antismuggling

At 9:20 A.M. on Thursday, I received this angry text from Kasamne Onion Growers spokesperson Rodolfo Niones: “D raid supposed 2 b conducted 2day by BOC didn’t push thru. BOC is requiring Kasamne 2 make a formal request 2 BOC b4 a raid is conducted. Dat’s anoder dirty tactic of BOC 2 protect d smugglers.”

Kasamne, with its 18 primary cooperatives, is one of the 42 member federations and organizations of the Alyansa Agrikultura, which covers all major agricultural sectors. The Alyansa believes that the Bureau of Customs (BoC) has many good people. But the few who are actively conniving with the smugglers are giving BoC a bad name.

Alyansa recommends that the DA make antismuggling one of its key roles. Former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani, coordinator of the Cross-cutting Issues Committee of Agriculture and Fisheries (AF) 2025, supports this view.

If this happens, the farmers, this time with complete DA backing, can then effectively cooperate with the BoC good forces to overcome the corrupt BoC elements.

Background

When the DA wholeheartedly supports the farmers’ antismuggling efforts, the drive against smuggling succeeds. What happened recently, when the farmers acted on their own, was a disaster.

Last July 26, Kasamne asked the BoC to conduct a raid on identified Divisoria retailers. The agreed upon date was July 28. On July 27, BoC confirmed that the raid would take place at 6 a.m. Thus, at 2 a.m. on July 28, two groups of onion farmers left Nueva Ecija to be on time for the raid.

After three and a half hours of waiting, BoC called Kasamne to proceed to BoC. There, BoC said that they did not believe in retailer raids. Kasamne should have been told this in the first place.

Last August 1, because of unabated smuggling, Kasamne appealed again to higher BoC authorities for a retailer raid. They got an affirmative answer. On August 2, they personally delivered a Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, Sanggunian resolution on antismuggling action to DA and President Aquino at his Times Street and Malacañang addresses.

They then proceeded to the BoC office with a list of identified Divisoria retailers selling smuggled onions. Again, they waited for three hours. In the end, no official met with them. They were asked to come at 4 p.m. the next day. The Kasamne leaders complied, only to be told that there would be no raids on the identified Divisoria retailers.

Analysis

We believe that had DA officials accompanied Kasamne in the meetings with BoC, BoC officials would not have treated the farmers so badly.

Perhaps the farmers got shabby treatment because Kasamne had pointed out that BoC has violated the agreement that Kasamne should witness the destruction of smuggled onions.

Niones said: “We recently asked about the smuggled onions we helped apprehend last May 26. BoC said they had been destroyed. Without the agreed upon witnesses, how can we be sure they did not go back to the smugglers? No wonder smuggling continues unabated.”

During the previous administration, the Alyansa filed a case in the Ombudsman’s office against the BoC officials for not having acted on a list of alleged smugglers. The Alyansa asked the current BoC administration to at least write the smugglers for an explanation.

We have yet to see action on this request. It is thus likely that these same importers continue to smuggle onions with impunity.

Recommendation

Following the AF 2025 conference last February 10-11, Secretary Alcala identified an assistant secretary to be the DA focal person for antismuggling. However, that official told us personally that he declined the appointment.

Niones has not been told of any replacement. This is why he does not know whom to go to in the antismuggling effort.

After a frustrating period of more than a year, Kasamne and Alyansa Agrikultura will now write President Noynoy Aquino to ask for a meeting with him. They will ask Secretary Alcala to help arrange this. Kasamne general manager Rolly Manangan said: “While we appreciate DA support of three new post-harvest facilities for onion farmers, the bigger problem is smuggling. What’s the use of post-harvest facilities if you cannot sell your onions because of smuggling?”

Secretary Alcala has done an admirable job in helping eliminate DA corruption. If he identifies antismuggling as a key role of DA, we are confident Alcala will likewise admirably succeed in the fight against smuggling.

(The author is chairman of Agriwatch, former secretary for presidential flagship programs and projects, and former undersecretary for agriculture, and trade and industry. For inquiries and suggestions, e-mail [email protected] or telefax (02) 8522112.)