28 Discaya-linked luxury vehicles now in custody of BOC
Twenty-eight luxury vehicles linked to the Discaya family are now under custody, the Bureau of Customs confirmed on Thursday, Sept. 4.
According to the agency, the Discayas surrendered 16 additional vehicles earlier in the day, following the 12 units already secured through a court-ordered search at the St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor & Development Corp. compound in Pasig City.
The newly surrendered vehicles are currently undergoing processing for sealing and documentation.
BOC personnel are guarding the units while verifying importation records and assessing duties and taxes.
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Office is assisting in the continuing investigation.
"We are committed to pursue the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to combat smuggling, protect government revenues, and ensure accountability through lawful customs processes," BOC said.
In August, the agency stated that it would investigate the reported 40 luxury cars owned by contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya, who are linked to companies with projects involving the Department of Public Works and Highways.
OC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said in an interview with Ted Failon & DJ Chacha that the agency will investigate whether the said vehicles are legal, undervalued, or smuggled.
Then, during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing last Sept. 1, Sarah enumerated her luxury cars, including the viral Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which she bought for P42 million, a Mercedes-Maybach (P22 million), a Bentley (P20 million), a secondhand Chevrolet Suburban (P3 million), and more.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked if Discaya acquired all of her cars at the same time. She denied this, stating that her first purchase was in May 2021
Eventually, Sarah recalled buying more cars before May 2021: one Range Rover Autobiography for P16 million, Defender for P7 million, and Evoque for P5 million in 2016.
The following day, the BOC said it had formally sealed 12 of the Discaya's vehicles and they are under round-the-clock guard by its people, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Discayas were thrown into the spotlight, especially after Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, whom Sarah unsuccessfully ran against in the midterm elections, posted about their controversial interviews with Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao. The interviews showcased their rags-to-riches story and their assets, including their luxury cars.
Now, her companies were among those accused of corruption in flood control projects, and were among the list of 15 contractors that exclusively bagged 20% of all flood control projects worth P100 billion in the last three years, according to Marcos.
