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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
February 20, 2026 | 12:02pm
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, alongside Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., and other government officials., leads a site inspection of an alleged abandoned illegal cigarette factory in San Fernando, Pampanga on February 16, 2026.
STAR / Miguel De Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is preparing charges against an alleged smuggler of illicit cigarettes, but agency secretary Jonvic Remulla says that these illegal operations are likely backed by government officials.
The DILG has raided an illegal warehouse owned by a certain Jimmy Reyes Cua in Tanza, Cavite.
Despite being declared as a canned goods storage site, citizens in the area reported a tobacco odor from the warehouse.
Authorities raised the warehouse, finding cigarette manufacturing machinery, industrial generators, and other equipment.
This is the fifth warehouse in a series of government raids against tobacco smugglers, with Remulla eyeing 10 major raids in total.
The DILG is preparing raps against the suspects for allegedly violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, as well as the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
“Imposible na mangyari ito na walang protector. Sigurado ako na merong tao sa gobyerno na nasa taas lahat ito, at hindi kami titigil hanggang makuha namin at matigil namin lahat operasyon nila,” Remulla said in a press briefing on Friday, February 20.
(It is impossible for this to happen without a protector. I am sure that there are people in the government high up there, and we will not stop until we get them and stop all of their operations.)
Remulla said that once these smugglers are charged, they will coordinate with the Anti-Money Laundering Council to trace the finances and see if they are tied to more powerful people.
Aside from being backed by officials, Remulla said that many of the warehouses and illegal factories that police have raided are owned by Chinese nationals. All of their machines are also from Mainland China.
