THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) will initiate formal seizure proceedings for several luxury vehicles seized from the Discaya family on Thursday, Oct. 9.
BOC deputy chief-of-staff Atty. Chris Noel Bendijo stated that the formal seizure proceedings will involve 13 of the 30 seized vehicles, which were previously found to have incomplete documentation for import entry and certificate of payment.
“Ang susunod na hakbang po ng BOC dito, itong paparating na October 9 magkakaroon tayo ng hearing. Ito na po yung formal seizure proceedings,” Bendijo said. He added that if the Discayas fail to provide proof of payment for duties and taxes, the vehicles will be forfeited in favor of the government.
Bendijo further explained that “Pag na-aprubahan naman po ng ating Secretary of Finance, ito naman po ay pwede i-subasta upang maging revenue na po ang mga sasakyang ito,” indicating that the vehicles could be auctioned off to generate revenue once approved by the Secretary of Finance.
The remaining 17 vehicles will undergo a post-clearance audit to verify the legality of their import documentation and tax payments.
GMA Integrated News has contacted the Discayas’ legal counsel for comment regarding the BOC’s commencement of formal seizure proceedings on the 13 vehicles and will publish their response upon receipt.
Last week, the BOC estimated that approximately P100 million in taxes remained unpaid when contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya acquired the 13 vehicles in question. The BOC previously issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) for the 13 vehicles due to discrepancies in the documents submitted by the Discayas. The agency also revealed that most of the seized cars lacked records of paid duties and taxes.
Bendijo also mentioned that the BOC has already submitted the results of its investigation into the Discayas’ luxury vehicles to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, which is investigating irregularities in flood control projects. The submission included documents and certifications related to the seized vehicles.
