The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized 13 high-end vehicles tied to the controversial Discaya family after confirming violations of customs laws, tightening the government’s crackdown on smuggling and corruption.
The seizure, backed by a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD), is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to pursue accountability in smuggling cases and protect government revenues.
The luxury vehicles—ranging from Bentleys and Rolls-Royces to Cadillac SUVs—were among the fleet discovered in September during a BOC search at the Pasig City premises of St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor & Development Corp., owned by the Discayas. That operation uncovered 30 vehicles, now under BOC custody and subject to investigation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in connection with alleged irregularities in multi-billion-peso flood control projects.
Following an order from Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, Port of Manila District Collector Alexander Gerard E. Alviar issued the WSD for 13 vehicles after authorities established probable cause of irregular importation and falsified or missing documents.
Verification with the BOC’s Management Information Systems and Technology Group revealed that seven vehicles—the Toyota Tundra, Toyota Sequoia, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 SUV, Mercedes-Benz G 500, Lincoln Navigator 2021, and Bentley Bentayga—had no import entries or carried fraudulent Certificates of Payment (COPs).
Six others, including the Lincoln Navigator 2024, GMC Yukon Denali, Cadillac Escalade 2021, Maserati Levante Modena, GMC Yukon XL Denali, and Cadillac Escalade ESV, were found to have import entries but with questionable or falsified COPs.
The remaining vehicles remain under transaction audit by the BOC’s Post-Clearance Audit Group (PCAG).
Commissioner Nepomuceno stressed that the agency’s work does not stop at seizure. “We want the public to know that we are serious about the responsibilities entrusted to us—not only in routine operations but also in actions that will help resolve longstanding anomalies which continue to burden our people,” he said.
The WSD paves the way for forfeiture proceedings under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). The BOC emphasized that the move is only the beginning of more decisive measures to ensure accountability, in line with the President’s call to combat smuggling in all forms.