Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan is pushing for stiffer penalties on big-time rice smugglers, especially government officials who are involved in any economic sabotage acts.

During Tuesday’s hearing, 7 October, of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reforms, Pangilinan said there should be severe penalties for government officials who assist, collude with smugglers, such as imposition of life imprisonment and permanent disqualification from public service, and confiscation or forfeiture of their assets.

”They are the ones who deserve and should be pursued, not these mere pawns. I don't want to imprison the small ones; the accomplices, the smaller fish. There's no justice in that," Pangilinan said in Filipino.

He likewise vowed to hold syndicate leaders accountable, especially those in the government.

”Those directly involved in smuggling, hiding, transporting, selling, hoarding, conspiring to forge documents, and other acts of economic sabotage, there are so many people who could be charged, but no one has been charged yet," Pangilinan said.

"If there are any, I think it's only three or four, but no big-time smugglers are in jail,” he added.