A bill seeking to provide for the disposition of smuggled agricultural products was filed by Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, a press release from Congress said.

House Bill 485 provides that any forfeited agricultural product should be transferred to the national government agency concerned within 15 days from the time of forfeiture has become final and executory, the press release said.

The bill, which amends the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, also gives the Department of Agriculture or any of its attached agencies the authority to dispose the forfeited smuggled agricultural products through local disposition or re-exportation, whichever is for the best interest of the general public and the local producers, it also said.

In the disposition of agricultural products, exporter will get a ten percent, if re-exported, and the apprehending government agency twenty-five percent as incentive while the remaining 65 percent will go to the national government, the press release added.

Meanwhile, AGAP Rep. Nicanor Briones has also proposed a law seeking to categorize any large scale smuggling as a crime of economic sabotage.

House Bill 3110 or the "Tariff and Customs Enforcement Act of 2007" also creates Tariff and Customs Enforcement Office to deter syndicated smuggling in the country, the press release further said.*

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