Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is pushing for stricter penalties against major rice smugglers, particularly government officials involved in economic sabotage.

During the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reforms hearing on Tuesday, Pangilinan proposed life imprisonment, permanent disqualification from public service, and confiscation of assets for officials who collude with smugglers.

“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.