MANILA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Sixteen Philippine ports nationwide suspended operations on Thursday as truckers and brokers protested the alleged abuse of the government's anti-smuggling agency.

    The strike of these importers and exporters will cause an estimated loss of 200,000 pesos (4,168 U.S. dollars) for the government each day, an expert said.

    Agapito Mendez, president of the Professional Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines, Inc said their strike will last indefinitely until the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) is abolished, which allegedly collects 20,000 to 40,000 pesos (417 to834 dollars) per container van before they release it from ports without issuing proper receipts.

    Mendez said his group would try to paralyze all port operations for the government to pay attention to their protest. He labeled PASG as "Presidential Abu Sayyaf Group" because they need to pay "ransom" for release of their shipments. Abu Sayyaf is a militant group notorious for kidnappings and bombings in the Southeast Asian country.

    Major ports that suspend operations include those in Cebu, Davao and General Santos.

    PASG, formed to back up the Philippine Bureau of Customs, receives direct executive order from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to conduct raids on suspected smuggled products.