The Bureau of Customs (BOC) generated P38.21 million from the sale of three luxury vehicles seized from contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya during a public auction held Thursday at the Port of Manila.
Only three of the seven high-end vehicles up for bidding were sold, with Simplex Industrial Corp. acquiring two units, a 2022 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG for P15.61 million and a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G500 Brabus for P15.5 million. Lesentrell Jewelries bought a 2021 Lincoln Navigator L for P7.1 million.
The auction followed a three-day public viewing last week. Four other luxury units, including a Rolls-Royce Cullinan and a Bentley Bentayga, failed to draw acceptable bids.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the auction demonstrates the government’s resolve to recover assets linked to corruption. “More important than the funds recovered is the principle that wrongdoing will be held accountable,” he said.
Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Chairman Andres Reyes Jr. said the auction was a concrete step toward recovering public funds lost to corruption, noting that the seven vehicles were allegedly bought using money intended for flood-control projects.
The Discayas surrendered the vehicles after filing an affidavit of voluntary forfeiture on October 23.
If all seven vehicles had been sold, the auction could have raised P103.87 million.
Nepomuceno added that six more luxury vehicles under BOC custody are being verified and could yield another P120 million once auctioned.
The BOC said it may schedule another auction for the four unsold units as part of its continued effort to tighten checks on vehicle importations and ensure correct tax payments and documentation moving forward.
