Lacson Pushes Senate Probe of 'Tong-Pats' Racket in Hog Importation Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson pushed Tuesday for a Senate investigation into the activities of a syndicate within the Department of Agriculture that stands to gain billions of pesos in "tong-pats" from the DA's recommendation to lower tariff rates on - and to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of - imported pork products due to the severe impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on the swine industry. Lacson said the anomalies amount to a triple whammy that threatens to kill our local hog industry while raising health concerns and costing the government forgone revenues.