The Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) is in the final stages of compiling evidence to file criminal charges against individuals connected to the smuggling of P1.1 billion worth of cigarettes, which were seized in Batangas City in late December 2026. This development marks a significant step in the national government's intensified campaign against smuggling activities.
Evidence Consolidation and Targeted Charges
PNP-HPG spokesperson Lieutenant Nadame Malang confirmed that investigators are meticulously gathering and consolidating documents from various government agencies. This effort aims to build a robust case to ensure successful convictions. Authorities are specifically targeting a female Bureau of Customs (BOC) employee assigned at the Port of Batangas and her husband, who owns the trucking company that operated the vehicles used to transport the illicit cigarettes.
Details of the Seizure and Investigation
The operation unfolded on December 31, 2026, when PNP-HPG operatives, while conducting a follow-up operation related to a reported stolen vehicle, discovered 14 container vans containing smuggled cigarettes in a compound in Barangay Balete, Batangas City. PNP-HPG Director Brigadier General Hansel Marantan earlier revealed the alleged involvement of the BOC personnel, noting that investigators established her husband's trucking firm may have facilitated the smuggling operation.
Marantan stated in an earlier interview, "We were able to confiscate illicit cigarettes there. We have identified personalities, and you will see that when we file the case. Unfortunately, there is involvement of the trucker, whose wife is a member of the BOC." Among the charges being considered is a violation of Republic Act No. 12022, the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act, which penalizes large-scale activities like hoarding and profiteering that manipulate supply and deprive the government of tax revenues.
Broader Context of Anti-Smuggling Efforts
This case emerges amid heightened scrutiny of the Bureau of Customs following allegations of personnel involvement in smuggling. In January 2026 alone, the PNP recovered nearly P2 billion worth of smuggled items, with cigarettes constituting the majority. Of the 688 anti-smuggling operations conducted by police, 436 resulted in arrests, underscoring the scale of enforcement actions.
Political and Institutional Responses
Senate finance committee chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has announced plans to file a resolution calling for an investigation into cigarette smuggling nationwide. He suspects that politicians may be colluding with corrupt law enforcers to smuggle illicit cigarettes through backdoor channels, particularly in Mindanao, to evade government sin taxes.
Concurrently, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno recently dismissed Intelligence Officer III Paul Oliver Pacunayen as chief of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) at the Port of Manila. This action followed a December 11 letter sent to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. by customs officials, employees, and stakeholders, which named Pacunayen and CIIS Director Thomas Narcise in relation to alleged resurgent smuggling operations in key ports, including Subic, Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, Port of Batangas, and Port of Cebu.
The PNP-HPG's ongoing evidence build-up reflects a concerted push to hold accountable those involved in large-scale smuggling, aiming to curb such illegal activities and protect government revenues.
