WHERE are the big-time smugglers?

Law makers were no longer surprised by the revelation in a public hearing of the House Committee on Ways and Means two weeks ago that duty-free shops in Clark and Subic have become convenient fronts for smugglers.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House committee on economic affairs, disclosed that in 2003, Clark and Subic registered P4.4-billion retail sales of cigarettes and liquor products. He said it could be considered a form of "technical smuggling" because it was obvious that the duty and tax-free products were taken out of the economic zones . . .