Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. led an inspection at Manila South Harbor on Monday, uncovering a large-scale case of misdeclared frozen fish smuggling. The operation exposed an import scheme in which nearly 550 metric tons of frozen mackerel and round scad — locally known as tamban and galunggong — were fraudulently declared as processed plant-based food products.

Deception of shipment

The investigation stemmed from a coordinated effort between the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC). Upon inspecting two of the 19 container vans, authorities found boxes of frozen mackerel instead of the frozen fried taro sticks, sweet potato balls, and assorted frozen food products from China as declared in the shipping manifest. The estimated total value of the entire shipment was pegged at P202 million.

According to BPI Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, his agency had flagged the suspicious cargo early on, alerting the BOC to inconsistencies in the shipment’s declared contents. The consignment, which arrived at Manila’s South Harbor on 21 January , was linked to Straradava Household Products Co. Ltd. and Fendee Consumer Goods Trading — two firms sharing the same Binondo address, raising further suspicions about their operations.

Violations and economic sabotage

While plant-based processed foods fall under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within the Department of Health, all imported fish and marine products are strictly regulated by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The attempt to bypass this regulation constitutes a violation of importation laws and is seen as a clear case of economic sabotage.

Secretary Tiu Laurel commended the vigilance of BPI personnel stationed at Manila’s ports, emphasizing that their diligence was instrumental in uncovering the smuggling attempt.

“These dedicated BPI personnel should be emulated,” he stated. “Their commitment led to the discovery of this blatant violation.”

He also issued a stern warning to unscrupulous traders, asserting that the DA, in coordination with other agencies, is intensifying its crackdown on agricultural smuggling.

Full enforcement of the law

To ensure that the matter is handled with the full force of the law, Secretary Tiu Laurel has formally informed FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate of the smuggling case. The move underscores the necessity of inter-agency cooperation in tackling illicit import activities that undermine national food security and regulatory integrity.

Present during the inspection were key officials, including BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate, Atty. Nathaniel Liberato, BPI Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, Assistant Director for Regulatory Services Ruel Gesmundo, NPQSD Chief Joan May Tolentino, PQS South Harbor OIC-Area Manager Henrick Exconde, and BFAR Director Elizer Salilig.

NBI asked to intervene

 

Meanwhile, AGAP Party-list Representative Nicanor Briones said he would write a letter to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), requesting a deeper investigation into the entry of the said contraband into the country.

Briones has been questioning the Bureau of Customs (BoC) for using the "fangless" Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) in filing charges against intercepted consignees instead of the stricter Republic Act No. 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act. The latter classifies agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel activities as economic sabotage.

Signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in September 2024, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage (AGES) Act treats the smuggling and hoarding of agricultural food products as economic sabotage when the value of goods exceeds P10 million.

“We have to make sure whether the entry of these goods happened after the law was signed last September. That is the loophole being used by those caught. So, we will write to the NBI, being the top enforcement agency of the AGES Act enforcement group, to investigate the matter,” Briones said in an interview.

He added that the enforcement group has already been activated by President Marcos Jr. and includes the NBI, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard, under the guidance of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry, and other agencies.