UMAPELA ang dalawang consumer groups sa Department of Trade and Industry na magsampa ng administrative sanctions o court cases laban sa e-commerce platforms gaya ng Shopee at Lazada dahil sa patuloy na pagbebenta ng illicit vapes na hindi naman sumusunod sa batas at umiiwas sa pagbabayad ng buwis.
Sa magkahiwalay na liham kay Atty. Fhillip D. Sawali, Director ng Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau ng DTI noong Hunyo 21, 2023, kawa inihayag ng Consumer Choice Philippines at Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines Inc. ang patuloy na paglabag ng e-commerce platforms sa Republic Act No. 11900, o Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.
“We hope that you will heed our call and act swiftly to protect the public interest and welfare from these illicit online activities by filing the necessary administrative or court cases against these erring online platforms,” ayon kay Consumer Choice Philippines president Luis Gregorio B. De La Paz sa kanyang liham.
Sinabi naman ni NCUP president Antonio P. Israel na direktang ipinarating nito ang usapin sa Lazada at Shopee “as early as 16 December 2022” at kagyat na nagpadala ng liham sa DTI noong Pebrero 15, 2023 at Marso 23, 2023, “Unfortunately, as of to date, we have yet to receive any response from Lazada and Shopee nor observe substantial removal of illicit VNNPs from their online platforms,” ayon kay Israel.
Nagpakita ng ebidensya ang dalawang grupo, gaya ng screen shots ng illicit vape listings ng dalawang online marketplaces, para suportahan ang kanilang mga sinabi.
Nagpahayag naman ng labis na pag-aalala si De La Paz ukol sa malaganap na pagbebenta ng illicit vaporized nicotine products sa online marketplaces at inirekomenda ang paghahain ng administrative o court cases laban sa mga ito.
Ani Israel, para patunayan ang mga sinabi ng kanyang grupo at pagsubaybay sa naging pagsunod sa batas ng e-commerce platforms, regular na tsine-check ng kanyang grupo ang iba’t ibang sites upang madetermina kung sumusunod ang mga ito sa direktiba ng DTI.
“Sad to note, however, that several listings of illicit VNNPs remain available and accessible online,” ang wika ni Israel, habang ipini-presenta ang tinipon o pinagsama-sama na illicit VNNPs advertised at mga naibenta sa Lazada at Shopee “as of 13 June 2023.”
“We respectfully reiterate that the continuous violation of e-commerce platforms is a disservice to the Philippine government particularly the Congress which carefully deliberated and enacted the VNNP Law and the DTI–the primary government agency tasked to regulate vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products,” ayon kay Israel.
“Despite several opportunities to comply with the VNNP Law and its implementing rules and regulations, the continued defiance of Shopee, Lazada and other e-commerce platform providers should not only be called out but should also be formally charged by this Honorable Office through the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau so that they may be held fully accountable,” dagdag na pahayag nito.
Sinabi pa niya na hindi sumunod ang illicit VNNP sa requirements ng VNNP Law, partikular na sa Seksyon 8 na nagsasaad na “that the products being sold and advertised online shall be compliant with the health warning requirements indicated herein, as well as other BIR requirements including tax stamp, minimum or floor price or other fiscal marks.”
“Based on my experience in purchasing vapor products on Lazada and Shopee, the products I receive do not have graphic health warnings on their packaging. These e-commerce platforms, when accessed via website/browser, also do not bear the signages (i.e., point-of-sale) required by the VNNP Law when searching for vapor products or e-cigarettes. We also note that the products we cited in Annex A are also not included in the list of registered brands with the Bureau of Internal Revenue per Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 57-2023 and may, therefore, be not compliant with the excise tax laws and regulations,” litaniya ni Israel.
Tinuran pa nito na ang Seksyon 23 ng VNNP Law ay nagsasad na “that online platforms which are non-compliant with Section 8 of the Law should be ordered by the DTI to immediately suspend trading of such products and should be liable for the fines and penalties imposed under the same section.”
“Having said these, we humbly urge your Honorable Office to continue its good work in curbing illicit vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products, online and offline, and to put its foot down by formally charging Lazada and Shopee for violation of the VNNP Law to hold them accountable for the benefit of the consuming public,” ayon kay Israel.
Samantala, sinabi naman ni De La Paz na nilabag din ng online marketplaces ang Seksyon 83 ng VNPP law dahil ilan sa kanilang produkto ay walang graphic health warnings, hindi rehistrado sa Bureau of Internal Revenue base sa Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 57-2023 at naka-post sa websites/platforms ng walang kaakibat o kinakailangang signages na nakamandato sa batas.
Nauna rito, umapela naman ang Philippine Medical Association sa Senado at sa iba pang kaugnay na ahensiya ng gobyerno na labanan ang illicit cigarettes at vaping products sa popular na online platforms.
Sinabi ng PMA na ang mga produktong ito ay “non-compliant, unregistered at posibleng non-tax paid.
Bukod pa sa wala itong nakalagay na “required” graphic health warnings, internal revenue stamps o packaging at labeling requirements. Kris Jose
