Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday warned that government officials who help agricultural smugglers evade enforcement will face investigation, as the Department of Justice, Bureau of Customs and National Bureau of Investigation forged an agreement to strengthen coordination against agricultural economic sabotage.

Remulla witnessed the signing of the tripartite agreement at the DOJ in Manila, which seeks to improve intelligence sharing and coordination in the investigation and prosecution of agricultural smuggling cases.

“We cannot have one agency holding one piece of information, another agency holding another and expect government to see the entire picture. We have to connect the dots. We have to share information. And we have to build cases that will stand in court,” Remulla said.

He said the agreement would help translate Republic Act No. 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, into coordinated enforcement by linking customs operations, intelligence gathering, investigations and prosecution.

The law classifies certain acts of agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering and cartel activity as economic sabotage and created an Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council and Enforcement Group. eLibrary

Remulla said discussions on strengthening the government’s response to agricultural smuggling began in 2024, when he was still justice secretary.

“A law is only as effective as the institutions that enforce it. And enforcement is only as effective as the coordination among those institutions,” he said.

The Office of the Ombudsman is not a party to the agreement, but Remulla stressed that it would independently investigate government personnel suspected of enabling smuggling.

“Government cannot successfully fight agricultural economic sabotage if people inside government are helping the economic saboteurs,” he said.

“When illegal shipments repeatedly pass through our systems, when documents are manipulated, inspections are deliberately overlooked, information is leaked or enforcement is selectively applied, then we must be prepared to ask: Sino ang kasabwat nito sa gobyerno?”

Remulla said rank, position, connections or political influence would not shield officials from investigation.

“There can be no sacred cows. Wala kaming sasantuhin dito,” he said.

He said authorities must look beyond those physically transporting illegal goods and identify the financiers, organizers and government personnel who may be protecting such operations.

Remulla also urged the agencies to share intelligence, trace financial transactions and build cases capable of standing up in court.

Bureau of Customs records show it filed 85 criminal cases before the DOJ from January 2025 to 1 September 2026. Of these, 24 involved agricultural smuggling, while 15 cases were endorsed for the filing of charges under RA 12022. Bureau of Customs

Remulla said agricultural smuggling is also a corruption and food security issue because illicit imports can undermine Filipino farmers and fisherfolk.

“Food security is national security,” he said.

The agreement was signed by Justice Secretary Frederick Vida, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno and NBI Director Melvin Matibag.

“Let us enforce the law. Let us protect our farmers. Let us protect our people. And let us make it clear that public office will never be a shield for those who profit from wrongdoing,” Remulla said.