Customs: Discaya's 12 luxury cars secured, formally sealed after daylong hunt
The Discaya family's 12 luxury cars, the subject of a search warrant, have been secured and formally sealed by the Bureau of Customs following a daylong hunt in which only two vehicles were initially found.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, Sept. 2, the BOC said Sarah and Curlee Discaya's Toyota LC300 3.3 V6 ZX AT SUV 2024 and Maserati Levante Modena 2022 were found at the couple's compound in Pasig.
The remaining 10 vehicles were initially unaccounted for and by evening, seven of them were surrendered to the BOC. These include Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, Mercedes-Benz G-500, Mercedes AMG G 63 AMG, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Sequoia, and Cadillac Escalade.
The remaining three—a GMC Yukon Denali SUV and two Lincoln Navigators—were in authorized service centers "for repair," the agency added.
The BOC said it has formally sealed the 12 vehicles and they are under round-the-clock guard by its people, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard.
The agency is verifying the cars' importation records, and any discrepancies uncovered will lead to the full collection of duties and taxes. It added that those who are hiding or abetting the concealment of the cars will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
On Tuesday morning, BOC Chief of Staff Jek Casipit told Ted Failon and DJ Chacha that they had attempted to serve the search warrant to the Discaya residence on Monday night, Sept. 1, but were denied entry.
28 luxury cars
Sarah, during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Sept. 1, admitted to owning 28 luxury cars, running counter to earlier reports that she has 40.
She confirmed that alongside Curlee, they own nine construction companies, including Department of Public Works and Highways contractors Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corporation, St. Timothy Construction, and St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corporation.
The companies were among those accused of corruption in flood control projects, and were among the list of 15 contractors that exclusively bagged 20% of all flood control projects worth P100 billion in the last three years, according to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
Sarah, however, denied any wrongdoing. Asked how they made billions of pesos, Sarah, without explicitly confirming the amount, argued it's not impossible for them to make a great profit as they've been a government contractor for over two decades.
She also claimed they started bidding for DPWH projects in 2012 and began winning flood control projects in 2016. For the last three years, Sarah confirmed to senators that their companies secured about 400 contracts.
Discaya noted that they're no longer part of the companies that have projects with the DPWH.
She said that her luxury cars were purchased from a "dealer," and when pressed for more details, said they were from Frebel Enterprise and Autoart. In 2022, the BOC seized undeclared luxury cars from Frebel and auctioned them off, according to the Philippine News Agency. In a 2014 report from GMA News, the BOC also seized undervalued products from Frebel and others.
The Discayas were thrown into the spotlight, especially after Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, whom Sarah unsuccessfully ran against in the midterm elections, posted about their controversial interviews with Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao. The interviews showcased their rags-to-riches story and their assets, including their luxury cars.
The national attention and outrage toward the Discayas rubbed off on other contractors. Adding insult to the injury was how internet users noticed several children of politicians and contractors, branding them as "nepo babies," who flex their designer clothing and fly to different countries in seemingly unapologetic fashion—and even vlogging about their comforts.
The matter has become so alarming that many celebrities and personalities have decided to speak up.