MANILA – Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have launched an intensified campaign against agricultural smuggling, leading the inspection of two 40-foot containers of misdeclared agricultural products worth ₱12.96 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, said the joint effort reflects stronger coordination between the Senate and the BOC in combating smuggling operations that continue to hurt farmers and the local food industry.

“Ang mahalaga dito ay nagtutulungan ang ating Committee on Agriculture sa Senado at ang BOC,” Pangilinan said, noting that both he and BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno assumed their respective posts in July.

During the inspection, Pangilinan and BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla found that the shipments—declared as 5,300 cartons of fish balls—actually contained sacks of frozen chicken breasts.

The senator said the discovery underscores the need for tougher enforcement and accountability, as agricultural smuggling continues to undermine local producers and pose potential health risks to consumers.

“Ang lakas ng loob nilang ipasok at gumawa ng kalokohan. Is this salvaged value? Binili sa China, dapat itapon na, pero dahil mura dadalhin dito tapos lilinisin—ganon ba ang sistema?” Pangilinan said, expressing concern that some of the smuggled goods might be unsafe for consumption.

The lawmaker also cited the ₱130-billion loss suffered by the country’s hog industry in 2019 due to African Swine Fever, warning that similar smuggling of unsafe meat products could again endanger both consumers and local producers.

Pangilinan said his committee has already cited five individuals, including brokers and a BOC deputy collector at the Port of Subic, in contempt for refusing to cooperate in the Senate’s ongoing inquiry into agricultural smuggling.

He added that he would meet with the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to build non-bailable cases against those involved, including government officials allegedly linked to large-scale smuggling.

“If at all, that’s an indicator of how serious we are, how serious the BOC is,” Pangilinan said. “We’ve been coordinating with the BOC since Day 1 of our hearings. They’ve been providing us the necessary documents and information.”

The senator also vowed to support BOC modernization efforts to improve transparency and ensure proper collection of duties and taxes, saying it would be a critical step toward dismantling long-standing smuggling networks.