A group of commercial fishing operators in the National Capital Region asked the Senate to review its report on agricultural smuggling implicating Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco as one of the alleged smuggling protectors.
The Navotas-based Inter-Island and Deep Sea Fishing Association, Inc.(IDSFA) said while the Senate did a good job of addressing agricultural smuggling, it might have made a mistaken identity error for including Tiangco in the list of smuggler cuddlers.
“With due respect to the Committee and with no intention to undermine its report, we have witnessed Mayor Tiangco’s and his team’s valiant effort in the fight against smuggling. It is impossible that he is a protector of smugglers,” the group said in a position paper submitted to the Senate.
IDSFA noted that the government needs to step it monitoring and police work to capture the people accountable to smuggling activities.
According to Senate Committee Report 649, smugglers gained foothold and influence in the highest of government agencies tasked with the mandate to prevent such illegal activities, many of whom have been identified in the said report.
IDSFA commended the government for its accomplishments in the last 5 years, beginning with the apprehension by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the smuggled galungong in December 2018 in Navotas City.
Other apprehensions followed, most notably by the LGU of Navotas City and other agencies of government.
“For our sector, the turning point of these apprehensions pertain to the decisive action of the Navotas City government.
They dutifully filed cases with the City Prosecutor’s Office, for violations of both RA10654 (Fisheries Code) and RA10845 (Anti Agricultural-Smuggling),” IDSFS said.
The move sent a strong signal to the smugglers about the LGU’s serious resolve in not just relentlessly apprehending violators, but also in prosecuting them, the group added.
Fishery smuggling can be done in several ways, such as importing without the proper permits, misdeclaring species, or selling outside of the intended purpose as stated in the import permit.
The agriculture subsector noted that the problem has existed for 2 decades and has severely impacted the local fishing sector.
IDSFA also called for a review of some of the policies of the Department of Agriculture especially those created in the last 3 years that tend to encourage smuggling activities.
“Again, we commend the Senate for addressing this concern, as we continue to support the government’s fight against smuggling. We are hopeful that the next administration will be able to sustain this and genuinely support the local fishermen,” the group said.