Senator Lacson Expose the P6B “Tongpats” Scheme in Pork Importation from Syndicate in DA
Senator Panfilo Lacson expose the P6 billion “tongpats” scheme in pork importation allegedly from the syndicate inside the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Lacson blasted billions of pesos’ worth of pork import corruption. According to him, as much as P5 to P7 per kilo of imported pork, the raised price or ‘tongpats’ is collected by some corrupt people allegedly syndicate inside the Department of Agriculture (DA).
According to the report of Inquirer, “tongpats” beneficiaries can earn up to P44.64 per kilo from the P284 per kilo sales of importers. To curb this, Lacson said he supported the call to President Rodrigo Duterte not to increase pork imports and not to lower tariffs.
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Currently, only up to 54 million kilos can be transported within the minimum access volume in the country, which the DA wants to raise to 30 to 40 percent. When this happens, it is said that the tongpats of some DA members could be doubled to P10 to P15 or possibly P4 billion to P6 billion in revenue.
Meanwhile, the pig farmers’ association called on President Rodrigo Duterte to order the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate through the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) the syndicate within the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Nicanor Briones said that the syndicate should be exposed within the DA. Briones also wants the NBI to investigate to expose the corrupt people who receive tongpats while the Senate is investigating the ongoing corruption in pork imports.
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