Albay Rep. Al Francis Bichara has sounded a strong call to abolish the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) in a privilege speech exposing allegations of abuse and corruption in the group.

In his privilege speech, Bichara said President Arroyo should abolish the PASG because instead of curbing smuggling and curtailing corrupton, it has become a breeding ground for corruption.

“I am urging the President to abolish PASG and save the government not only of its budget of millions of pesos in salaries, wages and other expenditures, but more importantly from the more harmful effects of graft and corruption,” Bichara said.

Bichara the agency has become a venue for exploitation of legitimate and honest businessmen who help pump-prime the country’s economy.

“The very agency tasked to aid and cooperate with various government agencies in order to curb smuggling is now confronted with glut of complaints and protests from the same agencies which they are tasked to assist and support,” Bichara said.

He alleged that the abuses committed by the PASG have become so rapacious that business groups like the Professional Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PCBAPI), Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Operators, Aksyon Agad Personero’t Personera, National Confederation of Customs Brokers of the Philippines, Visayas-Mindanao Customs Brokers Association, and the Fruit Imports Brokers Association, Inc. have called for its abolition.

He said customs brokers and truckers associations are staging a sit-down strike demanding the ouster of PASG chief Antonio Villar.