“I issued instructions for the immediate cancellation of all import permits, both meat and plant products, because of persistent recycling and technical smuggling,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said on Tuesday. Many unscrupulous individuals are using the same permits all over again.”This means that all “legitimate” importers and traders will have to revalidate their import permits at the DA office in Quezon City. We still do not know the owners and incorporators of those smuggled commodities)” SINAG chairman Rosendo So said in a statement. “We are just hoping that the re-issuance of new import permits would not be a new source of corruption for some people,” he added. The group said the review of import permits should start with an accreditation process for importers.

Source: Manila Times November 22, 2016 16:34 UTC