Life sentence for convicted rice smugglers sought

MANILA, Philippines - An administration lawmaker pushed yesterday for harsher penalties, including the imposition of life sentence, on convicted smugglers of rice.

Northern Samar Rep. Emil Ong also said the National Food Authority (NFA) should have the sole and exclusive power to import rice.

“I firmly believe that rice smuggling can be eradicated only if the private sector is prohibited from engaging in rice importation and providing stiffer penalties for violations,” Ong said.

One of the steps the government is taking to protect local rice farmers is to tax rice imports at a higher rate so as to discourage importation, he said.

But instead of achieving its end, rice smuggling proliferated and the price of rice in the market is getting higher, to the detriment of both local rice producers and consumers, he said.

“If the government is really serious in its thrust of protecting and promoting the interest of local rice producers and to lower the price of rice, it should have, through the NFA, the sole and exclusive power to engage in rice importation. It should not delegate the same to any other persons or entities through the issuance of import permits,” Ong said.

He said the sole and exclusive power of the NFA to import rice should also be free from any import duties or any other taxes, including value added tax.

He pushed for the passage of House Bill 3897, referred to the committee on agriculture and food, in an effort to promote the welfare of Filipino rice farmers and consumers in general.

The bill seeks to make it unlawful for any person, association, corporation or entity to import rice.

Likewise, any person who violates any provision of the proposed statute shall be punished by a fine of double the amount of the rice being smuggled and shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment.

If the offender is a government official or employee, he or she shall suffer the penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office in addition to other penalties.

In the event that the violator is a corporation, association or entity, the penalty shall be imposed on the officials responsible for the violation, and revocation of the juridical existence of the corporation, association or entity shall form part of the penalty. – With Eva Visperas