The Discayas are under tighter Senate scrutiny after new records and testimonies revealed major discrepancies in the number of luxury vehicles they own, sparking suspicions of tax evasion and vehicle smuggling.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) data obtained by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada’s office showed 63 vehicles registered under the couple’s names and their companies—far higher than the 28 luxury cars admitted by businesswoman Sarah Discaya in an earlier Senate hearing.
Some high-end models Sarah mentioned, including a Range Rover Defender, Cadillac Escalade, and Mercedes-Benz Maybach, were not found in the registry.
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) served a search warrant at the Discayas’ Pasig property but recovered only two of the 12 listed luxury cars, raising speculation that the other vehicles were hidden or moved elsewhere.
Estrada warned that some units might be “gray vehicles”—smuggled cars that entered the country without proper tax payments.
“That’s possible. Para hindi siguro ma-confiscate. Kasi ang palagay ko, ang pakay lang naman ng Bureau of Customs, eh kung nakabayad sila ng tamang buwis,” Estrada said.
To widen the investigation, Estrada said he would push to subpoena Sarah’s husband, Curlee Discaya, in the next Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, stressing that both must explain how they amassed such wealth.
The senator emphasized that the inconsistencies raise serious red flags on possible corruption and tax evasion, which the Senate intends to probe thoroughly in aid of legislation.