Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Rjegular Sesston
HouseBillNo.8455
v.',-.,,..
INTRODUCED 8¥ REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WrENDEL P. TULFo
AND |0CELYN P. TULFO
AN ACT INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR LARGE-SCALE AGRICULTURAL
SMUGGLING, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10845,
oTHERi^rlsE KNoi^7N As THE ``ANTI-AGRICuLTURAL SMUGGLING ACT oF 2oi6"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In view of the March 2023 raid conducted by the Bureau of Customs which yielded
some Php120 Million worth of contraband livestock and seafood products from China, Brazil,
Australia, the United States of America, and Russia, agricultural smuggling remains to be a
problem in the country.
Republic Act No. 10845, otherwise known as the ``Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of
2016'',  provides that it is the policy of State to protect farmers from unscrupulous traders and
importers, who by their illegal importation of agricultural products significantly affect the
production, availability of supply and stability of prices, and the food security of the country.
However, despite strict regulations are put in place, smuggling continues to be lucrative.
This Representation believes that in order to keep smuggled products away from
consumers and safeguard the livelihoods of those who go through the proper process of
importing goods, there is a need to increase the penalty of large-scale agricultural smuggling.
This bin seeks to modify the penalty of committing large-scale agricultural smuggling
for the purpose of deterring potential smugglers and to protect our local agricultural sector.
In view of the for
RALPH
going, the urgent passing of this bill is earnestly sought.
NDEL P. TULFO
Representative
2nd District Of Quezon City
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ACT~CIS Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTII CONGRESS
First Regular Sesston
HouseBillNo.    8455
INTRODucED 8¥ REPRESENTATIVEs RALPH i^rENDEL p. TULFo
AND |0CELYN P. TULFO
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AN ACT INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR LARGE-SCALE AGRICULTURAL
SMUGGLING, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10845,
OTHERWISE KN0l^7N AS THE ``ANTI-AGRICULTURAL SMUGGLING ACT 0F 2016"
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives Of the Plndi:ppines in Congress assembled..
SEcrl0N 1. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10845 is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 4. Penalties. - (a) The penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of twice the fair
value of the smuggled agricultural product and the aggregate amount of the taxes,
duties and other charges avoided PLUS INTEREST AT THE PREVAILING LEGAL
BA|Eshallbeimposedonanypersonwhocommitsanyoftheactsenumeratedunder
Section 3 of this Act.
Q) The penalty of imprisonment of not less than seventeen (17) years but not more
than twenty (20) years, and a fine of twice the fair value of the smuggled agriculturaal
productandtheaggregateamountofthetaxes,dutiesandotherchargesavoidedP±|E
INTEREST AT THE PREVAILING LEGAL RATE shall be imposed on the officers of
dummy corporations, nongovernment organizations, associations, cooperatives,  or
single proprietorships who knowingly sell, lend, lease, assign, consent or allow the
unauthorized use of their import permits for purposes of smuggling.
(c) The penalty of imprisorment of not less than fourteen (14) years but not more
ththanseventeen(17)yearsandafineequaltothefalrvalueofthesmuggledagricultural
productandtheaggregateamountofthetaxes,dutiesandotherchargesavoidedP±||S
INTEREST AT TIIE PREVAILING LEGAL RATE shall be inxposed on the fouowing:
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(1)  The  registered  owner  and  its  lessee  or  charterer,  in  case  of  lease  of  a
chartered boat, motorized commerdal vessel of more than three (3) gross
tonnage,  who  knowingly  transports  the  agricultural product  sutryect  to
economic sabotage, regardless of quantity;
(2)  The registered owner and its lessee, in case of lease of six (6) or more wheeler
trucks, vans and other means of transportation, who knowingly transports
the  agricultural  product  srtyect  to  economic  sabotage,  regardless  of
quantity,
(3)  The registered owner and lessee of a warehouse, or any property, who
knowingly stores the smuggled agricultural product sulject to economic
sabotage; or
(4)  The  registered  owner,  lessee,  president or chief executive  officer  of the
private  port,  fish  port,  fish  landing  sites,  resorts,  and  ai]ports  who
knowinglyallowstheagriculturalproducttobesmuggledintothecountry.
(d)Thepenaltyofimprisonmentofnotlessthantwelve(12)yearsbutnotmorethan
fourteen (14) years and a fine equal to the fair value of the smuggled agricultural
product sutyeet to economic sabotage and the aggregate amount of the taxes, duties
and other charges avoided PLUS INTEREST AT TIIE PREVAILING LEGAL RATE
shall be imposed on the following:
(1)  The  registered  owner  and  its  lessee  or  charterer,  in  case  of  lease,  of  a
chartered boat, motorized commercial vessel of more than three (3) gross
tonnage or less, who knowingly transports the agricultural product sutryect
to economic sabotage, regardless of quantity; or
(2)  The registered owner and its lessee, in case of lease, of less than six  (6)
wheeler tmcks, vans and other means of transportation, who knowingly
transports the agricultural product sutryect to economic sabotage, regardless
of quantity.
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4            SEC. 2. Sqpfl"[bt.Zt.fry chaifse. -If any provision of this Act or a portion thereof is declared
5      unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain
6      in full force and effect.
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8            SEC.12. Rcpefl[Zc.#g chaifsc. -All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, presidential
9      proclamations, letters of implementation, mles and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent
10      with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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12            SEC.13. £#ech.I".fry. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
13      Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
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15            Approved,