Sen. Cynthia Villar at a Press Con, Apri 26, 2023 | PHOTO: INQUIRER.net/Ryan Leagogo
MANILA, Philippines — For Senator Cynthia Villar, the only deterrent to smuggling in the country is to send smugglers behind bars while they are being tried before a special court.
Whether the smugglers are convicted or not, as long as they are jailed, Villar stressed when the Senate committees on justice and agriculture tackled on Tuesday her bill seeking the creation of anti-smuggling courts that will handle economic sabotage cases.
“Ang interest namin is criminal because this is economic sabotage, non-bailable. We want that because yung mga made-demanda dito mayayaman,” the senator pointed out during the hearing.
(Our interest is criminal because this is economic sabotage, a non-bailable offense. We want that because the rich are the ones who will be charged here.)
“The only (thing na) magagawa mo sa kanila para mapatigil sila is makulong sila kasi yung mayayaman ayaw makulong,” said Villar, who is the richest member of the Senate.
(The only thing you can do to make them stop is to put them in jail because the wealthy do not want to be imprisoned.)
The senator also pointed out that filing cases against smugglers would be futile if they could pay their way out of jail.
“That’s the only deterrent to smugglers that they be filed criminal cases and then makulong sila,” she said.
Being in jail while pending resolution of cases is already enough punishment against these smugglers, according to Villar.
“Kahit hindi namin sila masentensyahan but during the time of the period of the cases, nakakulong sila. That’s enough punishment for them because they are rich people. They don’t care about money. They earn a lot of money,” she went on.
(Even if they are not sentenced but during the time of the period of the cases, they should be in jail. That’s enough punishment for them because they are rich people. They don’t care about money. They earn a lot of money.)
The senator also sees no reason why the government would not spend money for anti-smuggling courts when it has been creating departments that “are purely overhead.”
Her proposal, on the other hand, would surely benefit the farmers and consumers and even the public as a whole in the long run, Villar stressed.
Under her bill, the anti-agricultural smuggling courts would be tasked to try cases involving smuggling, hoarding, profiteering and cartel of agricultural products.
These courts will still operate under the supervision of the Supreme Court, Villar also said when she filed the bill in March.
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