BOC finds only 4 luxury vehicles in Discaya’s property in Pasig

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday said only four luxury vehicles were found during the implementation of a search warrant in the property of the Discayas in Pasig City on Tuesday.

In an ambush interview, BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said that only two of the 12 luxury vehicles covered by the search warrant were found inside the establishment - a Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and a Maserati Levante Modena 2022.

Another luxury vehicle, a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, which is not included in the search warrant was also found. In another update by the bureau, it also found a Jaguar F-Pace that is also not covered by the warrant. 

“Ang nandito sa loob ngayon, doon nasa warrant natin, dalawa out of 12. Pero, may nakita kaming isa na wala naman doon sa warrant. Yung dalawa—isang Maserati, isang Land Cruiser. At yung hindi kasali sa warrant, kailangan din naming ngayong imbestigahan—ang Escalade,” Nepomuceno said in an ambush interview.

(Out of the 12 luxury vehicles covered by the warrant, we found two inside. But we saw another one that was not on the warrant. The two were a Maserati and a Land Cruiser. And the one that was not on the warrant that we also need to investigate now is the Escalade.)

During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on anomalous flood control projects, contractor Sarah Discaya said they had 28 luxury cars.

Nepomuceno expressed optimism that the concerned luxury cars will be found. 

“Ngayon, huwag tayong mangamba dahil mahuhuli at mahuhuli naman po natin, saan man po yan itinatago kung itinatago man. Kaya naniniwala ako na yan ay makikita at makikita natin,” he said.

(Now, let's not worry because we will seize the concerned luxury vehicles even if they hid it. So I believe we will find them.) 

Nepomuceno also called on the Discayas to surrender the concerned luxury vehicles.

According to him, the BOC has coordinated with the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) to look for the other luxury vehicles of the Discayas.

Nepomuceno, in a separate statement, said the bureau takes the issue with "utmost seriousness."

“We will ensure that these vehicles are located without delay, and if discrepancies are uncovered, all taxes and duties will be collected in full,” he said.

“Let it be clear: those hiding or abetting the concealment of these cars will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. The Bureau is committed to decisive action to protect government revenues, enforce accountability, and uphold the trust of the Filipino people,” he added.

Discaya on Monday told the Senate committee the cost of some of the luxury cars she and her husband owned, based on her knowledge.

• One Rolls Royce - P42 million
• One Mercedes Benz G63 - P20 million 
• Two Cadillac Escalade - P11 million (white) and P8 million (black)
• One Chevrolet Suburban - P3 million (used)
• One Range Rover Autobiography - P16 million
• One Range Rover Defender - P7 million
• One Range Rover  Evoque - P5 million

Discaya said that she also owned units GMC, Maybach, and Bentley. 

Prior to entering the construction business, the former Pasig City mayoral candidate said that she worked abroad as a dental receptionist and orthodontic nurse. She said her father and her husband were also contractors. —VAL/RF, GMA Integrated News