The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is tracking and reviewing the records of the sports car featured in exposé videos of fugitive resigned lawmaker Elizaldy Co, spokesperson Chris Bendijo said.
In a televised interview, Bendijo stated that the bureau is prepared to assist in the investigation.
“The Commissioner has already directed our Deputy Commissioner for the Intelligence Group to look into the matter… The Bureau of Customs is always ready to provide information to assist in any investigation,” he told ABS-CBN on Tuesday.
This announcement follows Co sharing photos of luggage purportedly filled with money, which he claimed to have delivered to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The former lawmaker mentioned that one delivery occurred in November 2024, showcasing a photo of the bags in a garage, where a gray Maserati was also visible.
However, a media report revealed that the conduction sticker for the luxury vehicle indicated it had only been sold to an automobile company in December 2024, raising questions about the timeline of Co’s claims.
Bendijo clarified that there remains a possibility that the car was released from its port even before it received complete importation and registration documents.
“It’s a possibility again that it was subjected to a provisional release kung kaya’t ito ay andoon na sa consignee even prior to the processing of the papers, because that was the practice we were made aware of that was implemented before,” he added.
(It’s possible that it was subjected to a provisional release, which is why it was with the consignee even before the processing of the papers, as that was a practice we were made aware of that had been implemented in the past.)
He also mentioned that the BOC is reevaluating and revalidating the records of importers and other stakeholders, particularly Brilliance Auto Corporation and Socali Trading, both of which are linked to the Maserati in question.
In November, BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno stated that mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that no more smuggled vehicles enter the country.
For its part, the Office of the Ombudsman said that it is also conducting its investigation.
