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THE Department of Agriculture on Thursday signed an
agreement with two farm-based non-government organizations to help
the government in its fight against the smuggling of agro-fishery
products.
The agreement between the
Agriculture department and the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the
Philippines (Agap) and Alyansa Agrikultura supplements the existing
anti-smuggling deal signed last year by the government agency with
the Department of Finance.
The agreement was signed by
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Agap party-list Rep. Nicanor
Briones and Ernesto Ordonez of Alyansa Agrikultura.
The Bureau of Customs was
included in the interagency agreement but Customs Commissioner
Napoleon Morales did not attend the signing.
Briones said Morales wants to
revise the agreement before signing it. “If they do not want to
cooperate, so be it,” he added.
“This partnership with Agap and
Alyansa Agrikultura is part of our stepped-up efforts to encourage
and engage the private sector in anti-smuggling activities so that
the government could be alerted on such anomalies,” Yap said.
Under the pact, Yap committed to
accredit agriculture industry representatives from farmers and
fisherfolk organizations to undertake ocular inspections of imported
shipments of agriculture and fishery products along with the
Agriculture department, whether in the ports of entry or in cold
storage facilities and warehouses. The department will spearhead the
conduct of the ocular inspections.
In case shipments are apprehended
or seized, the Agriculture department will coordinate with the
Customs bureau and the agriculture industry representative in
conducting examination of the goods, and participate, if necessary,
in the seizure proceedings, disposition of the confiscated items,
and prosecution of the people behind the illegal importation.
After the signing of the
agreement, Briones, in a privilege speech at the House of
Representatives, said that it is high-time for Malacañang to
kick-out Morales due to his “poor performance and ineffective
leadership” at the bureau.
“There is a clear evidence to
prove the connivance between the officials and employees of Customs
bureau and the unscrupulous businessmen and syndicates,” Briones
said.
--Ira Karen Apanay with Jomar
Canlas
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