Customs to probe assets of top flood control contractors

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs has joined in the shakedown of the top 15 contractors of flood control projects who have been on the spotlight with erring public works officials over hundreds of millions in public funds.

The agency has been involved in the documentation review of imported luxury cars of Curlee and Sarah Discaya, a couple whose companies have joined in the bidding for government projects - at times competing with each other - and who also admitted in congressional hearings of paying off politicians in exchange for projects.

“Kami ‘yung in-import ng mga contractors at iba pang napangalanan sa mga imbestigasyon nangyari sa lower House at sa Senate. Ang tulong namin eh ‘yung mga pinagbayaran kung tama ba at mali, tama ba yung mga dokumento mali, ‘yung mga in-import ng mga napapangalanan at noong mga labinlimang contractors,” Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said on Tuesday, Oct. 7, as appeared before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

[Translation: We’ll check those imported by the contractors and other individuals named in the investigations conducted in the lower House and the Senate. Our role is to assist in verifying whether the payments made were correct or not, whether the documents submitted were valid, and to review the imported items handled by those named in the investigation and by the approximately fifteen contractors.]

Nepomuceno said the bureau cannot do the probe on the contractors all at once.

The commissioner submitted information to the ICI on the luxury cars of the Discayas such as registration documents and certificates of payments the government flagged as questionable.

The BOC earlier seized 13 of 30 luxury vehicles of the Discayas, whose company, St. Timothy Construction Corp., is a top government contractor.

Nepomuceno said the vehicles may eventually be forfeited should there be no proper documents.

“Ibig sabihin sa pamahalaan na iyan at pwede na natin iyang i-bid or i-auction at iyong pagbibilhan niyan ay ipangtutulong natin sa mga programa ng gobyerno,” he said.

[Translation: That means it will belong to the government, and we can put it up for bidding or auction, and the proceeds will be used to support government programs.]

Nepomucenoco said the bidding and auction of the luxury cars will be livestreamed, noting that the process may take three months.