Customs serves search warrant vs. Sarah Discaya in connection to ownership of luxury cars
A Bureau of Customs official said they have served a search warrant against top government contractor Sarah Discaya after she admitted to owning 28 luxury cars and nine companies that made billions of pesos from construction projects.
BOC Chief of Staff Jek Casipit told Ted Failon and DJ Chacha on Tuesday, Sept. 2, that they attempted to serve it at her residence in Pasig on Monday night, Sept. 1, but were initially denied entry.
“Dalawang beses ho namin tinry i-serve kagabi," he said. "Parehas po we were refused to enter the premises."
They were only able to enter Discaya's residence on Tuesday morning, but upon inspection, they found only two of the 12 luxury cars covered by the warrant.
“May nakita kaming dalawang units right now. ‘Yung Land Cruiser at Maserati. ‘Yung iba hindi namin nahanap. Wala kaming makita rito,” Casipit said.
In a statement, the BOC said it's "committed to combatting smuggling and ensuring the proper collection of duties and taxes pursuant to the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)."
The agency said it's monitoring and supporting the ongoing investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee into the alleged anomalous flood control projects, which also raised issues regarding the luxury vehicles owned by the Discaya family.
"Any irregularity in the importation of luxury vehicles, such as misdeclaration or non-payment of duties and taxes, will be subject to enforcement actions under the CMTA," the BOC said.
"While we cannot disclose details of ongoing investigations, the BOC assures the public that it remains firm in enforcing the law with fairness, transparency, and due process," it added.
Discaya's luxury cars
In the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Discaya said she owns 28 luxury cars, running counter to earlier reports that she has 40. These include Rolls-Royce Cullion, Mercedes-AMG G 63, two Cadillacs, two GMCs, Chevrolet Suburban, Maybach, three Range Rovers, and Bentley.
Discaya, who, with her husband Curlee, confirmed owning 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.
Discaya, however, denied any wrongdoing. Asked how they made billions of pesos, Discaya, 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.
“We have been in the construction business for 23 years. So I would presume na in the 23 years, pwede naman po siguro kaming kumita," she said.
She also claimed they started bidding for DPWH projects in 2012 and began winning flood control projects in 2016. For the last three years, Discaya 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 companies like Frebel. It had 20-foot container vans with cargo declared as Phthalic Anhydride, but was found to be "lead bromate pigment," a chemical used in making glass types, but is poisonous and may detonate or explode when heated, rubbed, or combined with other chemicals.
According to its Facebook page, Autoart is based in Quezon City, and its intro states that "Autoart Luxury Automobile brings you Quality Luxury Vehicles and Armored or Bulletproof Cars."
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 Sanchez and Babao.
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.