In investigating agricultural smuggling in his capacity as the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has uncovered a web of corruption that runs across the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and dubious consignees and brokers of millions of pesos worth of smuggled food products.
The senator, who led the committee hearing on Monday, September 15, lamented how import companies have employed corrupt and devious practices—such as using dummy accounts and having scapegoats—to escape accountability.
He said this after questioning broker Lujin Ramos Tenero of 1024 Consumer Goods Trading, who denied knowing the surname of a certain Mr. Carlos from the Bureau of Customs (BOC). “Mr. Carlos” allegedly asked him to sign the bureau’s import entry documents for smuggled frozen mackerel worth P68 million (originally declared as P40 million worth of chicken poppers).
“Very difficult to believe that he will deal with millions of pesos without knowing who he is dealing with,” the senator pointed out.
“Obviously dummy itong si 1024,” he added, explaining to Tenero that his “refusal to answer a very simple question” is cause for the committee to cite him in contempt and detain him “until you answer the question.”
Pangilinan later gave Tenero three days to put in writing the reason why he should not be cited in contempt for refusing to provide the identity of “Mr. Carlos.”
The senator also bemoaned how ordinary citizens are being used by big syndicate groups to become fall guys.
“Sa totoo lang, hindi naman maglalakas ang loob ng mga ito kung walang nasa likod nila na kumakamada. Kamadang sindikato ito, maliwanag. Kamada ng malaking sindikato ang nangyari dito,” he said.
“Ayaw natin ikulong yung maliliit at gaya ng nangyari sa flood control ghost projects, kinakailangan natin habulin at managot ang mga karapat-dapat managot,” Pangilinan added.
During the hearing, the senator flagged several corrupt activities among consignees and brokers—the use of dummy names by import companies, the use of fake or expired broker licenses, and the practice of sharing the credentials of legitimate licensed brokers.