The Department of Agriculture formed a technical working group (TWG) to assist the lawmakers in amending the "Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016".

In a news release on Friday, the Department of Agriculture announced that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued a special order No. 227 dated February 15, designating Paz Benavidez II, DA assistant secretary for regulations, as the head of the technical working group.

The technical working group with a total of eight members "will prepare the department’s position and inputs for consideration of both Houses of Congress."

Laurel noted that "while the House of Representatives and the Senate have different versions of the amendatory measure, both bills seek to include acts of hoarding, profiteering and cartel of agricultural products as economic sabotage and increase the fine to thrice the value of smuggled goods."

"Lawmakers expect that stiffer punishment versus offenders will discourage smuggling of agricultural products that could lead to more affordable food prices and increased earnings for local farmers," the DA said.

The DA said "President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has certified as urgent the passage of a new law that adds price and supply manipulation of agricultural products as economic sabotage. It also increases the fine imposed against offenders."

According to the DA, the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, that declares "large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage" that is punishable by life imprisonment, only has "a fine twice the fair value of smuggled farm goods and total amount of taxes, duties and other charges." Robina Asido/DMS