SENATORIAL candidate and Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay has called for stricter enforcement of laws against hoarding, smuggling, and profiteering, saying the problem lies not in the lack of legislation but in the poor implementation of existing laws.
“There is no shortage of legislation; the issue is always with implementation. We haven’t heard of any rice smugglers being jailed or punished, or of anyone manipulating rice prices,” said Binay who is running for senator in the midterm elections under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas formed by President Marcos.
She reiterated her call for more aggressive measures to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those involved in rice cartels and smuggling, which are largely responsible for the soaring prices of rice and other agricultural products.
Binay suggested that agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs should prioritize these cases to ensure that offenders are caught and punished.
She also highlighted the role of the media in the successful prosecution of smugglers, hoarders, and profiteers.
“I believe we would see better outcomes if the media closely monitored how these cases are handled by government prosecutors and the appropriate courts, providing regular updates to the public. We need to keep these cases in the public eye until the offenders are convicted and sent to prison,” Binay said.
“It is not sufficient to blacklist the businesses involved in the rice cartel and other syndicates manipulating prices. Our laws clearly indicate that these are serious crimes that warrant life imprisonment,” she added.
Under Republic Act 12022, known as the “Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act,” a person who commits any of the acts enumerated in Sections 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the Act may face life imprisonment and a fine five times the value of the agricultural and fishery products involved. These acts include agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and engaging in cartels, all of which are categorized as economic sabotage under the law.