The Bureau of Customs is training its guns next on the lavish properties – including private yachts, helicopters, and airplanes – of other contractors of flood-control projects amid allegations of substandard or even “ghost” projects.
“We are not singling out the Discaya family. It just so happened the search warrant (on their luxury cars) was the first to be approved,” Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.
A total of 14 luxury vehicles of the Discayas – 12 of which were covered by a search warrant – have been secured as of yesterday morning even as the BOC continues to look for more high-end cars.
Nepomuceno said the bureau will look at whether other contractors paid the proper taxes and duties for their high-end assets.
“We will ensure their assets have the proper documents, and no provision of the Anti-Smuggling Law was violated,” he said.
He said the bureau will also not stop with securing just 14 cars of the Discaya couple.
“They admitted to owning 28. So at the minimum, we will run after 28. But still we won’t stop at 28 because there might be more,” Nepomuceno said.
BOC chief of staff Jek Casipit said the 12 luxury cars of the Discaya couple covered by the search warrant have no import entry documents, noting that the estimated value of the vehicles could be over P100 million.
However, the Discayas’ lawyer, Cornelio Samaniego III, said none of the vehicles were imported.
“The Discaya spouses have not imported any vehicle – all were locally purchased and registered. Those 12 luxury cars – LTO won’t register that if those had tax dues,” Samaniego said.
He said the vehicles were legally purchased through car dealers.
“Nothing prohibits anyone from buying these kinds of expensive vehicles. None,” Samaniego added.
Samaniego also addressed the revelation of Senator Jinggoy Estrada that the Discayas’ car fleet at one point reached 80 cars, saying some have already been sold over the years.
“We will double check. I spoke with Sir Curlee (Discaya) and he said some of the cars that were sold in previous years – the buyers may have not yet transferred the assets to their names,” the lawyer said.
