BOC mulls hiring private auctioneer for potential int’l bidders of Discaya vehicles

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Sunday it is looking into hiring a private auctioneer for potential international bidders, after two luxury vehicles of contractors Pacifico Discaya and Sarah Discaya failed to secure buyers for the second time.

“‘Yung posibilidad na kumuha ng private auctioneer para kung halimbawang international bidder--'yan ay ine-explore natin ngayon,” BOC spokesperson Chris Bendijo told Super Radyo dzBB.

(The possibility of hiring a private auctioneer in case there are international bidders is something we are currently exploring.)

“Dahil nagkaroon na tayo ng dalawang failed biddings, pumapasok pa rin ang option na negotiated sale or direct offer. Hihintayin natin ang magiging rekomendasyon ng ating komite,” he added.

(As we have already have two failed biddings, we’re open for a negotiated sale or a direct offer. We will wait for our committee’s recommendation.)

During its second public bidding on Friday, BOC failed to sell the Rolls-Royce Cullinan (2023), a luxury sport utility vehicle, which became viral because Sarah said it came with a free umbrella. Another SUV, a Bentley Bentayga (2022), failed to secure buyers.

Meanwhile, Customs also auctioned off a Toyota Tundra (2022) and Toyota Sequoia (2023).

The three other vehicles sold in the first auction were a Mercedes-Benz G500 (2019) Brabus, Mercedes Benz G63 (2022), and Lincoln Navigator (2022), in which the BOC collected P38,211,710.00.

Bendijo earlier said proceeds of the auction will go to the BOC’s forfeiture fund.

“The BOC cannot utilize that fund and will be reverted to the Treasury entirely,” he said.

He also said another option for the still unsold vehicles was to “accept direct offers,” where interested buyers could set their own price or offers, after which the BOC will evaluate their offers and call for challengers. Another possibility is to destroy the unsold vehicles.

In the dzBB interview, Bendijo reported that BOC is also probing into the alleged importer of the luxury vehicles previously owned by the Discayas. —RF, GMA Integrated News