BOC to destroy 22 more luxury cars

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs is set to destroy 22 more seized luxury vehicles, estimated to be worth P133 million, in May, BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said yesterday.

Lapeña presented the 22 smuggled luxury cars, including a P14.8-million brand new orange McLaren car to disprove rumors that the newer seized vehicles are no longer in the bureau’s custody. 

The BOC’s sincerity in destroying smuggled vehicles were questioned when during its 116th anniversary last Feb. 6 it excluded in its list some 30 condemned vehicles that were mentioned by President Duterte including the McLaren, a model 2005 white Ferrari F430 worth P4 million, a 2006 Lamborghini Murcialago worth P8.14 million and a 2012 white Lamborghini Gallardo worth P6 million. 

The 22 cars mentioned by Lapeña include three brand new Range Rovers, two new Chevrolet Camaros, 12 brand new 2017 Toyota Land Cruisers, one new McLaren, one Ferrari, two Lamborghini cars and one Rolls Royce Phantom. 

Lapeña explained that the 22 luxury cars were still undergoing litigation.

They were only placed on alert last October because of undervaluation.

Consignees Gamma Gray Marketing, Mary Joy Libradilla Aguanta, Veronica Garcia Angeles, Allan Usman Garcia, and Roy Medroso Garchitorena received the order of forfeiture on Feb. 9 and have until Feb. 24 to file their appeal, otherwise the BOC would proceed with the destruction of the smuggled vehicles. 

So far, the BOC has received two appeals for the Ferrari and the Lamborghini. 

When asked if the destruction of the cars would take place in May, he replied, “sometime those days.”

The 30 cars worth more than P61 million that were simultaneously demolished at the Port of Manila, Port of Cebu and Port of Davao during the BOC’s 116th anniversary last week have been turned to scrap.

The BOC would turn over the scraps to the Department of Interior and Local Government, which would then select the beneficiaries, preferably low-income scrap collectors.