Discaya camp blames car dealers for possible luxury vehicles' violations

The lawyer of Sarah and Curlee Discaya on Wednesday said the car dealers should be liable in case there were violations in the importations and taxes of the couple’s luxury vehicles.

“Definitely babalikan namin ang mga car dealer na yan kasi hindi naman mabibili ng spouses Discaya yan kung hindi ibinenta ng mga car dealer,” Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III said at a press conference.

(We will definitely go back to those car dealers because the Discaya spouses couldn't have bought it if the car dealers hadn't sold it.)

“Noong binili ng mga Discaya yan, buyers in good faith sila. Kung magkaproblema, yung car dealer may problema sa Customs. Kami naman, hahabulin naman namin yung car dealer,” he added.

(When the Discayas bought it, they were buyers in good faith. If there's a problem, the car dealer has a problem with Customs. As for us, we will go after the car dealer.)

Since September 2, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has been securing vehicles owned by the contractor couple in light of a search warrant.

A total of 30 luxury vehicles owned by the Discayas have been secured as of Wednesday.

Customs Commissioner Ariel Francisco Nepomuceno said eight of the vehicles lack import entry and certificates of payment, while some vehicles do not have certificates of payment.

If the violations are proven, the BOC said a warrant of seizure and detention will be issued for the Discayas’ luxury vehicles.

The search for Discayas’ luxury vehicles came following the investigation into anomalous flood control projects.

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 irregularities in their flood control projects as well as in their possession of luxury vehicles. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News