MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has given contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, along with the importers of 29 luxury vehicles under BOC custody, until the end of the month to present documents proving the cars were legally imported.
In a press briefing at the BOC head office in South Harbor on Wednesday, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the individuals must submit import entries and Certificates of Payment (COP) to validate their claims.
“As part of due process, we are giving them 15 days or until the end of the month to submit the required documents,” Nepomuceno stated. Due to the varying dates of seizure, submission deadlines range from September 17 to the end of the month.
Fifteen of the vehicles reportedly lack either import entries or COPs, and may be subject to seizure and forfeiture proceedings. Among the eight vehicles with neither document are a Rolls Royce Cullinan 2023, Mercedes Benz G63 AMG 2022, Toyota Sequoia 2023, and Bentley Bentayga 2022.
Seven other vehicles, including a Maserati Levante 2022 and a Cadillac Escalade 2021, have import entries but lack COPs.
The remaining 14 vehicles were imported by authorized dealers and have complete documentation, including models from Land Rover, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.
Nepomuceno confirmed that the vehicles entered through the ports of Batangas, Cebu, Manila, and the Manila International Container Port. He also disclosed that over 10 Customs personnel assigned to these ports are now considered persons of interest.
In parallel, the BOC is conducting a lifestyle check on vehicles owned by four former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials implicated in questionable flood control projects, including former district engineers from Bulacan and Batangas.|
