Customs on Dizcaya cars: 15 luxury autos have import red flags
BOC holds preliminary press conference on seized cars
There is no question that the public is monitoring the situation regarding anything related to the flood control project irregularities. Well, it’s more like a massive scandal now.
One aspect that the government moved fairly swiftly on was to seize the many luxury automobiles owned by one family embroiled in the contractor scandal: the Dizcayas. And one week ago, the Bureau of Customs executed its prerogative to secure, hold, and inspect the vehicles, which included a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a Mercedes-Maybach, a Bentley Bentayga, a pair of Mercedes G-Classes, a Toyota Sequoia, a Toyota Tundra, and many more.
In a press conference earlier today, the BOC says they were able to secure 30 automobiles plus two all-terrain vehicles. And upon their initial investigation, they found that half of the vehicles had irregularities that they called red flags.
Based on their initial investigation, BOC says 7 of the vehicles secured were found not to have the necessary import entry paperwork, as well as no certificate of payment with regard to duties. These vehicles will be the subject of a subsequent order of warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) from the BOC.
Eight cars were found to have import entry documents, but without a certificate of payment. This is also a red flag, according to the BOC. The Bureau also said that they will now be conducting follow-up investigations to verify how the vehicles were granted release from the ports, and that they already have persons of interest when these vehicles were cleared to leave the ports.
During the media Q&A, the BOC identified some of the vehicles that had documentation issues: Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, Toyota Sequioa, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Land Cruiser 300, Mercedes-Benz G63, Mercedes-Benz G 500, Lincoln Navigator, and more. BOC says these vehicles were brought in via at least 10 consignees.
Pursuant to proper due process, the BOC is giving 15 days for the parties concerned (owners and consignees that sold the vehicles) to submit documents to clarify the documentation problems of these vehicles.
“Nauunawaan natin yung init nung issue at yung galit at frustration ng ating mga mamamayan, subalit kailangan linawin lang muna at this point, yung on record ibig sabihin base sa mga dokumento hindi po tayo pwede mag imbento muna. Hindi natin gagawin yan,” said Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepumoceno.
[We understand the heat of the issue as well as the anger and frustration of our citizens, but we need to clarify at this point that this is about what is on record based on documents. We will not invent anything. That is not what we do.
“We’re trying to be very professional, fair but transparent. Ang mga nagpasok nito ay consignees. On record, ang mga nagpasok nito ay hindi Dizcaya family. Sa record. Unless yung mga nagpasok nito later on, sasabihin nila na ginamit lang po yung kanilang pangalan at kompanya,” continued Commissioner Nepumoceno.
[We’re trying to be very professional, fair, but transparent. The importers of these are consignees. On record, it was not the Dizcaya’s that imported these. On record. Unless the importers later on say that their names and companies were used.]
Fourteen of the vehicles, however, were found to have been imported by authorized dealers, meaning members of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI), as well as the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID). The BOC found no issue with these 14 vehicles, as there is a presumption of compliance with all relevant rules; they will still verify. The BOC did not clarify which vehicles were brought in by official importers.
One vehicle is still under initial investigation, and that is the Mercedes-Maybach. BOC also says the two ATVs aren’t part of the count, as these are not luxury vehicles.
