PASAY CITY— The Senate Committee on Agriculture assembled on Tuesday, February 10, uncovering what lawmakers describe as a sophisticated network of agricultural economic sabotage. 

During the hearing, a picture emerged of a "cartel-like structure" fueled by questionable companies, counterfeit branding, and a suspicious lack of oversight. 

Senators warned that the current rice trade irregularities mirror the scale of past infrastructure scandals, suggesting that these operations are bolstered by high-level financiers and deep-rooted collusion between private entities and corrupt officials.

Under the hot seat, officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) were grilled over "technical smuggling" and the inexplicably fast-tracked issuance of import clearances. 

Committee members pointed to a pattern of diversion tactics that allow illicit goods to flood the market, bypassing standard regulatory hurdles. 

With the investigation intensifying, the panel emphasized that this systemic rot threatens national food security, vowing to unmask the politicians and "big-time" players pulling the strings behind the scenes.