Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Tuesday assured that cases will be filed soon against agricultural syndicates.

Bersamin made the statement following the stern warning of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. against smugglers and hoarders saying “that their days are numbered” during his second State of the Nation (SONA) on Monday.

“I think it will be very soon that cases will be filed against the real responsible for smuggling and food hoarding,” Bersamin said in an interview.

Bersamin said the government has validated intelligence reports on the identity of the smugglers and hoarders, with some of them already known even in previous administrations.

“Their names have already been mentioned in prior administrations as engaged in smuggling of food products and they are very, very hazardous to our economy and our health,” he said.

Bersamin also mentioned the President’s order to the Department of Justice to form a task force against anti-smuggling.
Bersamin said the task force is still gathering evidence and no reports have been forwarded yet to the Office of the President (OP).

“That is a personal undertaking of the President. He really means to deal with these people, the justice that they deserve. His (President) statement yesterday to me was a very correct statement of his sentiment against smuggling and economic sabotage,” he said.

When asked about the timeline, Bersamin said that it will depend on the strength of evidence gathered. PND