BOC makes 2nd bid to sell Discayas' 4 luxury vehicles

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is preparing to hold a second public auction for another batch of luxury vehicles owned by the Discaya family, which authorities believe were imported and registered in the country using fraudulent means.

BOC Assistant Commissioner and spokesperson Vincent Maronilla said four vehicles that failed to draw winning bids in last week’s auction will be put up for sale again next week.

“We are looking at next week to conduct the second bidding for the remaining four cars whose bidding failed last week,” Maronilla told GMA News Online.

Up for auction are the following units:

• 2022 Toyota Tundra
• 2023 Toyota Sequoia
• 2023 Rolls-Royce Cullinan
• 2022 Bentley Bentayga

These four vehicles did not sell in the initial public auction held last Thursday, during which three others were successfully awarded to winning bidders.

The BOC estimates that all seven units could generate a combined ?103.9 million in proceeds.

The agency earlier issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) over 13 vehicles linked to the Discaya family after finding “probable cause” for violations of customs laws.

Officials say the Discayas allegedly failed to pay an estimated ?100 million in duties and taxes for the imported units.

The auction forms part of the BOC’s efforts to recover lost government revenue and remit proceeds to the national treasury.

“We have proven that this can be done with the full view of the entire nation. We have somehow helped in resolving the issue of recovering these assets,” BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.

The sale of the vehicles comes as the Discaya family faces scrutiny over their alleged involvement in a multibillion-peso corruption scheme tied to public works contracts.

Then–Justice Secretary and now Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said Discaya-owned companies secured around ?200 billion worth of government infrastructure projects.—MCG, GMA Integrated News