Representative Emil Ong of the National Unity Party (NUP) wants smugglers of rice to face life in prison and stiffer fines to help eradicate the illegal trade of the food staple and protect Filipino farmers.
Ong, who represents the 2nd district of Northern Samar, urged his fellow legislators to approve his measure, House Bill 3897, which makes it unlawful for “any person, association, corporation or entity to import rice into any point in the Philippines.”
The bill also states that any person who violates any of its provisions shall be punished by a fine of double the amount of the rice being smuggled and shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment.
"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," the lawmaker said.
Ong said that if the offender is a government official or employee, then the punishment is perpetual disqualification from holding public office in addition to other penalties.
If 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,” the bill states.
The rice imported in violation of the measure shall be confiscated in favor of the government through the NFA, Ong 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.