BOC to destroy seized luxury vehicles

Instead of putting them for auction, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will destroy some smuggled luxury cars, as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte, GMA News' Jun Veneracion reported on 24 Oras on Monday.

"This is a presidential directive coming from the President and I agree... these will be destroyed to send a strong message to the smugglers, para hindi na sila uulit-ulit pa," said BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña.

The report said luxury vehicles such as McLaren sports car, Lamborghini and Ferrari were seized by BOC personnel in 2017. They will be destroyed this week or next week.

Lapeña said smuggled vehicles that are auctioned off eventually end up in the hands of the smugglers again.

"Pag nahuli, eh di i-aauction, ang mananalo sa auction sila-sila din," he said.

The report said P13 million worth of agricultural products and other smuggled goods will also be destroyed by the bureau.

Meanwhile, Lapeña also vowed to continue eradicating corruption in the agency, saying that the BOC will again undergo a "major revamp." This will be done through the agency's Internal Affairs and Integrity Unit, which will give administrative sanctions to corrupt employees.

"We know who they are... who are still doing it. Sooner or later, we will catch up with them," Lapeña said.

Since Lapeña assumed the role of leading the BOC, there were 641 employees who were removed from their respective posts due to alleged corruption.

Lapeña, former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, was appointed by Duterte to succeed Nicanor Faeldon, whose resigned amid the P6.4 billion shabu shipment controversy. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News