Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday welcomed the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) filing of six criminal complaints over shipments misdeclared as “chicken lollipops” that were found to contain thousands of sacks of onions and boxes of carrots, calling for enforcement beyond raids toward convictions.
“Kinalulugod natin ang desisyon ng Bureau of Customs na magsampa ng mga reklamo kaugnay ng misdeclared agricultural shipment at panagutin ang mga sangkot, kabilang na ang mga tauhan nito,” Pangilinan said.
The BOC filed the complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Sept. 22 against the importer’s owner and representatives, a licensed customs broker, Customs officials and personnel, and other individuals allegedly involved in the shipments.
The six shipments, consigned to Berches Consumer Goods Trading and arriving in June 2025, were found during physical examination to contain 15,029 sacks of fresh white onions and 2,164 boxes of fresh carrots. The agricultural products allegedly lacked the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry.
The BOC complaints cite alleged violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, including fraudulent misdeclaration and the importation of regulated agricultural products without the required clearances. Complaints against Customs personnel also cite provisions penalizing willful neglect of duty and acts that enable violations of customs law.
Pangilinan said the case should demonstrate that agricultural smuggling carries consequences as it impacts negatively on farmers, consumers, and legitimate traders.
“Hindi ito puwedeng hanggang dito na lang. Kailangan may kaso, may mananagot, at may hatol,” he said.
He called on the DOJ to act promptly, the BOC to disclose the full facts, and all government agencies involved to work closely together and pursue the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act where warranted.
Earlier today, BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the bureau would pursue not only smugglers and their accomplices but also Customs personnel found to have participated in or facilitated illegal activities.
“Wala tayong pagtatakpan at hindi natin kukunsintihin ang anumang paglabag, lalo na kung may pagtatangkang abusuhin ang ating mga proseso. Importer man, broker, o kawani ng Customs, kung may sapat na ebidensya, gagawin natin ang nararapat at ihaharap ang kaso sa tamang proseso. Ang pananagutan ay para sa lahat,” Commissioner Nepomuceno said.
With the latest filings, the BOC said it has filed 96 criminal cases involving 288 respondents and recorded ₱13.7 billion worth of seizures from 2025 through 2026.
Beyond lost Customs revenue, the illegal entry of regulated farm products without required sanitary and phytosanitary clearances can expose consumers to food-safety risks.
The influx of potentially lower-priced or illegally imported goods also depresses farmgate prices and cuts farmers’ incomes. Over time, such practices have weakened the viability of domestic agriculture, and undermined the country’s food-security efforts.