00:00In a surprise move, Senate Chair on Agriculture, Francis Pangalina, not only enumerated the companies reportedly engaged in agricultural smuggling,
00:08but also name-dropped the customs brokers or personalities involved in the bootlegging.
00:12His decision to mention their names is a result of the snail-like pace of due process and holding such people and their businesses into account.
00:21Among the firms and the customs brokers alleged in the fleecing of government and the Filipino people include
00:26the 1024 Consumer Goods Trading with Lugin Arm, Ramos Teniero as broker,
00:32Birch's Consumer Goods Trading, Burley Bitoy Ramos, Efren Yu Abelio Jr., Gretchen Jimeno, Jason Alolor Ejes,
00:40John Cyril Mapa Imperial, Kimuel Gler Lopez, and four others as customs brokers.
00:47EPCB Consumer Goods Trading, Elaine Joy Guedaria, Customs Broker Queenstar Industry Consumer Trading,
00:53Judy Ann Gumban-Hungko, Customs Broker, Vox Enterprises OPC, Abigail Gruta-Yumang, Customs Broker, among others.
01:03Pangalina lamented in particular three cases filed in September last year under the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act with someone yet to be charged.
01:11He added how agricultural smuggling has been the bane of farmers seeking to uplift their lives and the nation's struggle to achieve food security.
01:18Pangalina directed his committee secretary to forthwith send out invites to the aforementioned customs brokers for the committee's next hearing.
