Discaya vehicles under BOC custody now 31

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday they now have secured a total of 31 vehicles of the Discayas for a probe into the alleged irregularities in their importations and taxes.

BOC deputy chief of staff Atty. Chris Noel Bendijo said these vehicles are being kept at the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard property in Pasig City.

“Ang kabuuang bilang po na presently under the custody ng Customs, ang bilang po ay 29 plus two,” Bendijo told Dobol B TV in an interview.

(The total number of vehicles currently under the custody of Customs is 29 plus two.)

“Ipaliwanag ko lang ito, 29 yung kabuuang dami ng mga high-end luxury vehicles. At yung plus two, ito naman yung maliliit na all-terrain vehicles pero hindi naman po ito nire-rehistro sa [Land Transportation Office]. Ito lang po yung off-road na maliliit,” he added.

(Let me explain, the total number of high-end luxury vehicles is 29. And the plus two, these are the small all-terrain vehicles but they are not registered with the LTO. These are just the small off-road vehicles.)

Since September 2, the BOC has been securing vehicles owned by contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya in light of a search warrant.

The BOC earlier said that most of the Discayas’ luxury vehicles lack documents on paid duties and taxes, and have doubtful import entries.

“Pinapa-validate po ng ating [Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno],” Bendijo said.

(Our Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno are validating it.)

“Yun din po yung pakiusap natin kung bakit medyo matagal ang proseso na ito. Mga [vehicle identification number], import entry, puro ito letra at saka numero. Kaya talagang iniisa-isa po natin para tiyak na tama ang ating magiging findings dito,” he added.

(That’s also why we’re asking for patience if this process is taking so long. Vehicle identification numbers, import entries, it’s all letters and numbers. That’s why we’re really going through it one by one to make sure our findings are correct.)

If the violations are proven, Bendijo said a warrant of seizure and detention will be issued for the vehicles.

“Puwede na siyang i-subject sa ating mga remedies either condemnation, sisirain po sita, or pupuwede rin pong i-auction,” he said.

(They can now be subject to our remedies, either condemnation, it can be destroyed, or it can also be auctioned.)

The search warrant on Discayas’ vehicles came following the investigation into the alleged anomalous flood control projects of the couple.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has called for an investigation into anomalous flood control projects as many parts of the country have been submerged amid heavy rains in the past months.

Several government agencies, as well as the Senate and the House of Representatives, have launched their respective investigations.

Some flood control projects were found to be ghost projects.

The camp of the Discayas has denied the allegations in their flood control projects as well as their luxury vehicles. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News