Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group Strikes Divisoria

Apparently, there's this anti-smuggling group going around the markets of Manila, trying to catch (extort) businessmen who are suspected smugglers of "illegal" goods.

Created and powered by Malacanang, this anti-smuggling group has the power to revoke business licenses, close stores and warehouses on the whim of the investigators.

I first heard about this group from a friend who owns a textile/garment store in Tutuban. The Presidential Anti Smuggling group managed to close down a number of stores in the area, targeting Tsinoys businessmen and Chinese Mainlanders who sell cheap imported goods from China.



While the idea of protecting the local market from illegal/smuggled goods seems to be a noble endeavor, this group seems to have another motive for its operations. My friend told me that this group is demanding the business owners to pay them 1.5 million pesos in exchange for their permits and "re-opening" their stores.

And there is no escape from this group. Even those businesses selling local goods are part of the shut down. Why are the local businesses being targetted? Well according to the group, even local goods are made from imported materials. So no one is spared, no matter how legitimate your business appears.

Last Saturday I dropped by Divisoria Mall to buy some milk and diapers for the baby. I got to witness the Anti Smuggling group busy at work. They had closed down two-thirds of the stalls in Divisoria Mall. There were men in black shirts with the presidential logo, walking around the mall, acting as if they owned the place.

The funny thing was that this group was so devoted to catching smugglers, that they didn't bother the stalls selling pirated DVDs, MP3, and computer programs. I guess piracy isn't part of Malacanang's agenda.

I also got to eavesdrop a dialogue between two Mainlanders (talking in Chinese), lamenting about their current situation. One of them met up with the other businessmen and they agreed to pay 1.5 million just to re-open their shops (again the 1.5 million amount came up). The other one thought of just working from his "bodega".

I wonder how long would these shop owners take such abuse/harassment from various government groups. This isn't the first time a government agency decided to make their rounds in Divisoria, revoking the licenses of businesses unless they're given some sort of pay-off. I'm glad I don't have a business in that area, I'd never survive a year doing honest work there.