Nearly nine months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage (AAES) Act into law, agencies composing the AAES Council finally agreed to intensify their crackdown on major smugglers, hoarders, profiteers, and cartel operators.

In its second meeting on Wednesday at Malacañang Palace, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go said that the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Interior and Local Government, Justice (DOJ), Finance, Trade and Industry, Transportation, the Philippine Competition Commission, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council committed to a more aggressive pursuit of economic saboteurs.

“Protecting consumers entails going after the root of the problem — large-scale economic saboteurs who distort our agricultural and fisheries markets,” said Secretary Go, who serves as President Marcos' permanent representative to the Council.

Secretary Go also emphasized that, with the law now in effect and enforcement mechanisms operational, the Council is well-equipped to pursue offenders aggressively in pursuit of “stable food prices and a better quality of life for all Filipinos.”

Guidelines enforcement

 

During the meeting, the Council adopted key enforcement protocols. The Department of Justice presented and secured approval for operational rules of engagement, laying out a structured framework for coordinated action.

The Department of Agriculture was directed to continue maintaining and publicizing the Daily Price Index, a transparency tool developed with the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service and the Bureau of Agricultural Research, to monitor fluctuations and deter market manipulation.

The Council also approved guidelines for declaring what it calls “Abnormal Situations,” which would alert member agencies to act swiftly in response to supply chain disruptions or other events caused by economic sabotage.

Operational and legal teams were mobilized following the green light for enforcement. The Enforcement Group — composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and Department of Finance — was cleared to pursue smugglers and profiteers under the newly adopted framework.

Meanwhile, the Council ensured that the DOJ-appointed Special Team of Prosecutors is fully prepared to expedite the filing and resolution of cases under the AAES Act.

The Department of Justice assured that its appointed Special Team of Prosecutors is ready to expedite case filings and resolutions involving violations of the AAES Act.

Meanwhile, the Council instructed relevant agencies to prioritize the full implementation of the National Single Window System, led by the Department of Finance, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Bureau of Customs. It also called for the readiness of storage facilities for confiscated agricultural goods to ensure proper handling and disposition.

Signed into law in September 2024, the AAES Act classifies large-scale smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, cartel operations, and related financial crimes involving agricultural and fishery products as acts of economic sabotage. These crimes are now non-bailable and punishable by life imprisonment, along with fines reaching up to five times the value of the goods involved.

Senator Cynthia Villar and AGAP Representative Nicanor Briones, who both championed the law, had earlier expressed dismay over the Council’s sluggish response, citing the continued harm to farmers and fisherfolk caused by unchecked smuggling.