FOR his alleged failure to address rampant smuggling, a legislator is seeking the ouster of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales.

                In a privileged speech, Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones of Agriculture Sector Alliance of the Philippines (Agap)  said Malacañang should replace Morales owing to his “poor performance and ineffective leadership” at the agency.

                Briones also wants a top-to-bottom revamp at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) since “there is a clear evidence to prove the connivance between the officials and employees of the BOC and the unscrupulous businessmen and syndicates.”

                Other lawmakers also urged President Arroyo to include Morales on the list of government officials who should be replaced in the incoming Cabinet revamp.

                Briones said the government has lost billions of pesos in revenue owing to rampant and unabated smuggling, citing a study showing that the government lost P18.8 billion in the past year owing to smuggling.

                “It is very clear that smuggling is the main reason why the government lost P18.8 billion in revenue in 2007. From January to March 2008, the government’s loss was pegged at P2.8 billion,” Briones said.

                He cited the recent seizure of P473 million worth of agricultural products in two cold storages in Navotas raided by the Presidential Antismuggling Group and the private task force created by Agap.

                Briones said the raiding team confiscated smuggled foodstuff like Peking duck, giant squids, salmon, galunggong, chicken, pork, onions, garlic, shrimps, broccoli, ginger and tons of luncheon meat.

                “The government already lost P359 million in revenue from the smuggled goods that were seized at the two cold storage facilities in Navotas,” Briones said.

                He warned that the smuggled goods could be carrying deadly virus coming from the country of origin.

                “Smuggled agricultural products that did not pass through the required quarantine inspection are very dangerous. They could be carriers of foot-and-mouth and bird-flu viruses,” he said.

                Briones urged the government to give incentives or rewards to tipsters or whistle blowers who will provide law enforcers substantial information that could lead to the arrest of leaders and members of smuggling syndicates.

                He also called on President Arroyo to certify as urgent all anti-smuggling bills seeking to stop technical and outright smuggling of agricultural products in the country.

                The illegal activity has already affected at least 13.8 million farmers all over the country, Briones said.   

                He said many farmers in some parts of the country have already lost interest to plant rice, vegetables and raise poultry and hogs owing to the smuggling of agricultural products.

MNLF urges Malacañang to scrap ARMM elections

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Thursday asked Malacañang to scrap the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and instead appoint a governor to head the region.

DAVAO CITY—Still-unidentified gunmen shot dead on Thursday the leader of a militant farmers’ group here, raising fresh concerns on the safety of other militant leaders here.

THE Philippine Embassies in China and Singapore have issued separate warnings against the rising cases of trafficking of Filipino workers lured to these countries by illegal recruiters with promises of decent paying jobs only to end up as prostitutes and forced laborers.

AIR Force pilots will now have the opportunity to train and handle new and modern basic training aircraft with the Department of National Defense’s recent approval and issuance of notice to proceed to Alenia Aermacchi S.P.A. for the supply of 18 new SF-260F version.

FOR his alleged failure to address rampant smuggling, a legislator is seeking the ouster of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales.

MALAYSIAN authorities arrested 24 Filipino fishermen for alleged poaching in the disputed waters off Sabah, which is being claimed by both Malaysia, and the Philippines.

MEMBERS of the fishermen’s alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday slammed the plan of the Big Three oil companies—Chevron Philippines Inc., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Petron Corp.—to transfer the oil depot in Pandacan, Manila, in the coastal areas of Manila Bay, citing the risk of relocating it near the homes of millions of people in the coastal communities.