UNHOLY MACKEREL
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inspection of P178.5 million worth of smuggled mackerel in Manila on Saturday.
The President directed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to intensify the implementation of Republic Act No. 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
“Kaya’t ito ‘yung buong tinatawag na chain na kailangan nating buwagin,” Marcos said.
“At ito’y, as I said, is the first case under the new law of the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act. So, I’ve spoken to our Bureau of Customs, and I’ve spoken to the Department of Agriculture and we have to keep going. Kailangang patibayin pa natin ito,” he added.
The President led the inspection of 21 container vans of frozen mackerels at the Port Area in Manila. The shipment was intercepted by the BOC’s Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The frozen goods, valued at approximately PhP178.5 million, were seized by the BOC in collaboration with the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
“Ang naging susi rito ay ang coordination between the different agencies. ‘Yun lagi ang pinakamahalaga because the different agencies were all working together, all the way up to the end. Because ang end-consumer nito, DSWD,” Marcos said.
The President noted that the seized mackerel will be distributed to families in evacuation centers who have been affected by recent adversities. This will be done through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other groups such as the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
