President Rodrigo Duterte wants to classify smuggling of P50 million worth of goods as economic sabotage.
President Duterte on Friday said smuggling has always bugged him.
He described it as a “continuing headache for the country and the economy and the people,” the reason for the harsh punishment he wanted for violators.
“So if you are caught doing it, committing the crime or about to commit, or in fact committed the crime and you are apprehended there somewhere, you will be arrested and you will be detained to face trial. And if it’s more than 50 million (pesos), no bail. So you rot in prison,” he said in a speech at the awarding of outstanding farmers, fisherfolk, and coastal communities in Malacañang.
He also lamented that importers of buses bring in many vehicles, and then use one franchise for three or four vehicles.
“If you are caught by the highway patrol, [Land Transportation Office], [National Bureau of Investigation], or the police, you will go straight to prison,” he said.
Franchise racket
“I will not allow you to go out until the case is filed in court. I will charge you for economic sabotage and there will be no bail for you. All of you,” he added.
Mr. Duterte said this practice of using one franchise for many buses was a “racket.”
His comments came in the wake of his earlier directive to crack down on all colorum vehicles in the wake of a deadly bus crash in Occidental Mindoro.
A total of 19 people died when a Dimple Star Transport bus plunged into a ravine in Sablayan town last month.