• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Tons of illegal cigarettes were destroyed by authorities on May 7 in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
Destroyed were 11,450 reams of smuggled cigarettes, confiscated in Cauayan, Negros Occidental last year, with an estimated market value of P8.9 million.
Commending law enforcement agencies, Talisay City Mayor Rowena Lopez-Lizares, issued a strong message against illegal trade, declaring that Negros Occidental must never become a haven for illegal tobacco operations.
Two weeks ago, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) dismantled a reported large-scale illegal cigarette manufacturing and distribution network in Negros Occidental, following the discovery of almost P800-million worth of equipment, raw materials, and packaging supplies in the cities of Bago and Bacolod.
Ten Chinese nationals allegedly involved in the manufacturing of illegal cigarettes were nabbed by the police.
Before the tons of illegal cigarettes were shredded, soaked, and buried underground, Lizares emphasized that the fight against smuggling is not only about enforcing the law – it is about protecting the people, especially the youth, from the dangers of counterfeit and untaxed tobacco products.
Lizares said the destruction symbolized more than the disposal of illegal products. It was a statement that local governments and authorities in Negros Occidental are united and unafraid to stand against syndicates profiting at the expense of public health, honest businesses, and government revenues.
The presence of Lizares in previous anti-smuggling operations — including the inspection of the alleged fake cigarette factory discovered in Bago City last month with DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Bago City Mayor Mayette Javellana, and Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya — further highlighted the growing solidarity among local leaders against the spread of illegal tobacco operations in the province, a statement from the Talisay City government said.
She also called on Talisaynons to be vigilant against other illegal activities, after police dismantled an alleged illegal online cockfighting or e-sabong operation in Barangay Concepcion, Talisay City on April 23.
Lizares assured that her administration will continue supporting aggressive anti-smuggling efforts, stressing that protecting communities from illegal trade is a responsibility that leaders cannot ignore.*
