Dateline Kamuning: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Thursday that he is considering the recommendation of the Société Générale de Surveillance SA (SGS) to conduct pre-shipping inspections in a move to stop the smuggling of agricultural goods and ensure its safety for public consumption.   “This scheme would minimize smuggling. It will be essentially…pre-shipping inspection,” Marcos said after meeting SGS Vice President George Bottomley and Managing Director Cresenciano Maramot in Malacañang.   “Ibig sabihin, bago pa isakay ‘yung produkto sa barko doon sa pinanggagalingan, inspeksyunin na nila para sasabihin nila, ‘totoo ito, tama ang timbang, tama ang quality, tama ang nasa record na pinanggalingan’ — all of these items. Para hindi na natin kailangan gawin dito sa Pilipinas,” he explained.   According to the President, they will extend to cover agricultural invoices so that prior to the arrival of the planes or ships, shipments are paid already, spee...

  Dateline Kamuning: Sen. Risa Hontiveros asks for explanation on the entry of imported sugar into Philippine ports despite the lack of order authorizing it.   During the Blue Ribbon Committee's inquiry on the issue Monday, May 8, 2023, Hontiveros lamented the absence of Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban who, she said, should shed light on the controversial importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar ahead of the issuance of Sugar Order No. 6, adding that the move was made without the approval of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, concurrent Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary.   The Deputy Minority Leader further questioned the DA's selection of three sugar traders for supposedly giving them the "opportunity to control" sugar prices, in possible violation of anti-smuggling laws, and to the detriment of Filipino consumers.   "I really hope that we get to the bottom of this issue...From the evidence I've seen so far, seem...

    Dateline Kamuning:    A composite team from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Manila International Container Port – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (MICP-CIIS), and Bureau of Customs (BOC) was deployed to inspect the shipments consigned to Taculog J International Consumer Goods Trading on December 14, 2022 and December 16, 2022. The cargo was initially declared to contain steamed buns. Following a derogatory report submitted to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for DA Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA I&E), the team was directed to probe the 8  forty-footer container vans, which were later found to contain yellow onions, red onions, frozen fish tofu, and frozen squid flower. The estimated value of the misdeclared and misclassified agri-produce amount to  P53.6 million.  The Department of Agriculture is currently preparing charges against...