Philippine lawmakers announced they will investigate alleged political involvement in large-scale cigarette smuggling that cost the government more than P44.8 billion ($762 million) in lost sin tax revenue last year, House Ways and Means Committee chair and Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo said. Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Quimbo warned of “impunity” in the entry of illegal cigarettes, noting that about half of sin tax collections fund healthcare programs such as PhilHealth. He said cigarette smuggling not only deprives the state of revenue but also makes cigarettes more accessible to young people. A resolution seeking the probe will be referred to the House plenary and then to the Ways and Means Committee, with hearings expected within two weeks. Quimbo added that cigarette smuggling, including products originating from Thailand and Malaysia via transshipment, now falls under the anti-agriculture smuggling law.
Source: The Philippine Star
