[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 146, March 20, 1965 ]

ENJOINING ALL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT TO COOPERATE IN THE DRIVE AGAINST SMUGGLED PRODUCTS AND TO DESIST FROM BUYING, POSSESSING OR USING THEM AND APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC FOR COOPERATION



WHEREAS, for some years now, there have been rampant smuggling and illicit tracking in smuggled products such as œblue seal  and PX cigarettes;

WHEREAS, the smuggling and traffic in smuggled products could not long continue if our people voluntarily desisted from purchasing, possessing or using smuggled products such as œblue seal  and PX cigarettes;

WHEREAS, the smuggling and traffic in smuggled products have deprived the Government of millions of pesos in lawful revenue and, in the case of œblue seal  and PX cigarettes, have caused tremendous losses to Filipino tobacco growers and cigarette manufacturers;

WHEREAS, in addition, the traffic in smuggled products has produced the even more serious effect of breeding in our people, particularly the young, a disrespect for law; and

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 4097, amending Section 174 of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, penalizes by fine of not less than ten times the amount of the specific tax due on the articles found but not less than P200 nor more than P5,000 and by imprisonment of from 4 months and 1 day to 4 years and 2 months possession by a person of articles subject to specific tax which has not been paid in accordance with law or articles which are exempt from specific tax other than those to whom the same is lawfully issued.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby enjoin all officers and employees of the Executive Branch of the Government to cooperate to the fullest extent in the current drive against the flagrant and unabated smuggling and sale of smuggled products such as œblue seal  and PX cigarettes, and especially to desist from buying, possessing or using smuggled products such as œblue seal  and PX cigarettes, thereby setting an example of respect and obedience to law for the general public.

Any violation of this order by any such officer or employee shall be a ground for the taking of administrative action against him and the imposition of severe penalty.

I appeal to the general public to cooperate in this campaign against smuggling of goods by desisting from buying, possessing or using œblue seal  and PX cigarettes, the same being pernicious to the national economy and to the people ™s general welfare.

This supersedes Executive Order No. 7 dated March 22, 1962.

Done in the City of Manila, this 20th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and sixty-five.

(Sgd.) DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) RAMON A. DIAZ
Executive Secretary