10 Customs staff to be questioned on Discaya luxury cars

Metro Manila, Philippines - Ten personnel from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will be asked to explain why some luxury cars of controversial contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya were able to enter the country without proper payment and documentation.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said on Wednesday, Sept. 10, the position of the 10 personnel range from appraisers to division heads of four ports.

Nepomuceno said they have custody of 30 luxury cars from the Discayas. Of which, five were transported through Batangas port, three from Cebu port, six from Manila port, and seven from the Manila International Container Port. Eight others have no record of entry point while they have yet to review the details of the remaining car as they only secured it on Tuesday.

“Titignan natin, pagpapaliwanagin natin kung bakit nakalusot or dumaan sa kanila 'yang mga sasakyan nang hindi nagkaroon ng tamang dokumento at hindi nagbayad nang tama,” Nepomuceno said in a press briefing.

[Translation: We will look into it and ask them to explain why the cars passed through them without proper documents and not paying correctly.]

“We will have to make even our own people accountable,” he added.

The BOC said the eight luxury cars without a record of port of entry may be considered smuggled. Nepomuceno noted the eight cars also lack a certificate of payment (COP).

Seven other cars have import entry documents but no COP while 14 have both import entry documents and COP.

The 14 cars with complete documents are presumed to be acquired with regularity. But Nepomuceno said those would still undergo post-clearance assessment for assurance.

“Offhand, mukhang ayos naman 'yung kanilang mga pinagbayaran dahil mga authorized dealers 'yan. Mas malaki 'yung pangalan nilang mawawala 'pag gumawa sila ng kalokohan,” the commissioner said.

[Translation: Offhand, those seem okay because those are authorized dealers. It would be a loss to them if they do anomalies.]

Nepomuceno said the other cars would be subject to seizure proceedings if importers fail to present necessary documents.