Seven Discaya luxury vehicles up for auction next month - Customs

Metro Manila, Philippines - Seven questionable luxury vehicles of contractor-couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya will be auctioned off possibly by Nov. 15, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Thursday, Oct. 30.

In a news briefing at the Independent Commission for Infrastructure office in Taguig City, Chris Bendijo, BOC deputy chief of staff said, the Discayas submitted a voluntary forfeiture on the vehicles, which were found with no import entries and certificates of payment.

“That means they are waiving their entitlement to the motor vehicles. But they are reserving their right to go after the importers, the car dealerships,” he said.

Included in the auction list was the Rolls Royce Cullinan that Sarah bought because of an umbrella that came with it.

The vehicles are:

+ Toyota Tundra 2022

+ Toyota Sequoia 2023

+ Rolls Royce Cullinan 2023

+ Mercedes Benz G63 AMG 2022

+ Mercedes Benz G500 2019 (Brabus)

+ Lincoln Navigator L 2021

+ Bentley Bentayga 2022

Bendijo said the rules ban custom employees, importer, broker, consignee, and owner of the smuggled items from joining the bidding.

The BOC earlier took custody of 13 out of the 30 vehicles tied to the Discaya couple.

Bendijo said the Discayas submitted a position paper on the six cars under BOC’s custody, asking for a “compromised penalty.”

“There is a surcharge to be imposed. Plus 20 percent fine from the landed cost,” he explained, should the Custom’s legal division favor the request.

The agency earlier reported that the six vehicles have secured import entries but either lacked or carried questionable payment certificates.

Seventeen Discaya vehicles are still under post clearance audit, Bendijo said.

He said the auction will be livestreamed for transparency.