Nine convicted as gov’t tightens grip on illicit agri trade

Nine individuals have been convicted under the country’s anti-agricultural economic sabotage law as regulators enforced tougher rules against illegal trading activities.

The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) said over the weekend that it convicted the nine individuals in separate cases for knowingly transporting or storing smuggled agricultural and fishery products in violation of Republic Act No. 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

In one case, seven individuals were found guilty under Section 7(g) of the law after pleading guilty to the charges.

Six individuals classified as helpers or similar personnel were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from two years and one day to two years and six months.

The boat captain received a longer sentence ranging from two years and six months to three years and one month.

In a separate case, Midcpal Ali y Ibrahim and Julvin Bio, identified as a driver and helper, were also convicted and sentenced to imprisonment ranging from two years and one day to two years and six months.

RA 12022 imposes criminal penalties on individuals who knowingly participate in the transportation or storage of smuggled agricultural and fishery products, extending accountability across the illegal supply chain.

The convictions come amid continued government efforts to curb illicit trade, particularly in the tobacco industry, where illegal cigarettes remain widespread in several parts of the country.

An Open Pack Study conducted by Kantar and commissioned by the Philippine Tobacco Institute showed illicit cigarette incidence reaching 85.6 percent in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 81 percent in Zamboanga Peninsula and 54.8 percent in Northern Mindanao.

At the provincial level, Lanao del Sur recorded the highest incidence at 93.5 percent, followed by Zamboanga Sibugay at 87.5 percent, Zamboanga del Sur at 81.4 percent, and Maguindanao at 77 percent.

The study covered 17,614 cigarette packs collected across approximately 70 provinces and measured the incidence of packs classified by PTI as illicit.