Policy and legislative purpose
- Act No. 1684 prohibits importation by private persons to prevent the introduction of diseases that could injure the silk industry.
- Act No. 1684 is premised on the Bureau of Science’s ability to import silkworms without introducing disease.
- Act No. 1684 is designed to allow the Bureau of Science to furnish eggs or hatched cocoons without charge to people in reasonable numbers.
Prohibited importation and items covered
- Section 1 prohibits the importation, except by the Bureau of Science, into the Philippine Islands of silkworms, their eggs, or cocoons.
- Section 1 also prohibits the importation of the moths which produce silkworm eggs.
- Section 1 applies to both actual importations and attempted importations of the prohibited objects.
Who may import: Bureau of Science exception
- Section 1 allows importation only by the Bureau of Science for the covered items.
- Section 1 makes the prohibition inapplicable to importations performed by the Bureau of Science.
Enforcement and customs procedure
- Section 1 mandates enforcement by the Insular Collector of Customs.
- Section 1 provides that enforcement shall follow the procedure in Act No. 355, as amended by Act No. 864.
Forfeiture consequence for violations
- Section 1 states that any covered objects imported or attempted to be imported in violation of the Act are liable to forfeiture.
- Section 1 requires forfeiture to proceed “under due process of law” through the applicable process used by the customs authority.