Companies, businesses urged to join fight against illicit trade in ASEAN

Businesses and industry leaders should actively speak out against the increasing problem of illicit trade in the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia, according to legal experts and participants at a recent forum.

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The forum on combating illicit trade, organized by the Financial Times in Taguig City, noted that businesses are often caught in the crossfire as both victims and, at times, inadvertent facilitators. Panelists said that tackling the issue requires the private sector to be an active partner in prevention, detection and disruption.

Daniele Marchesi, country manager of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Programme Office in the Philippines, said illicit trade is often facilitated by international organized crime and can finance terrorist activities.

"This issue of crime and illicit activities cannot be solved only by states. We need a very comprehensive approach that involves also the private sector, academia and other actors,” Marchesi said.

Vincent Juan, legal counsel and deputy corporate compliance officer at Shell Pilipinas Corp, said smuggling remains a problem in the downstream oil industry. He said petroleum products are often transferred between vessels on the high seas before being brought into the country.