MANILA, Dec. 3 -- Senators on Wednesday raised alarm over what they described as "syndicate-style" agricultural smuggling that has weakened food security, harmed local producers, and exposed gaps in government enforcement.

Opening the fifth Senate hearing on agricultural smuggling, Senator Francis Pangilinan said recent findings show that foreign groups, particularly Chinese nationals and exporters, have cornered large-scale illicit food shipments with the help of Filipino partners.

He warned that the pattern mirrors organized operations previously seen in other sectors.

Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, said dummy firms have been used to channel misdeclared shipments into ports, including spoiled meat worth h...