-
The Bureau of Customs has yet to find buyers for two luxury vehicles once owned by controversial contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya despite offering them at discounts during the second public auction of seized assets
-
The 2023 Rolls-Royce Cullinan was offered at P36.3 million, down from P45.3 million and the 2022 Bentley Bentayga at P13.9 million, down from P17.3 million
-
Only two vehicles were sold in the second auction: a Toyota Sequoia (P6 million) and a Toyota Tundra (P3.52 million)
-
An earlier auction on Nov. 17 raised P38.2 million from sales of Mercedes-Benz G500 Brabus, Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, and Lincoln Navigator
-
BOC said asset destruction is not an option; focus is on revenue generation
-
An auction committee will decide the next steps for the Rolls-Royce and Bentley
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has yet to find buyers for two luxury vehicles once owned by controversial contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya despite offering them at steep discounts during the second auction of confiscated assets.
The unsold cars, a 2023 Rolls-Royce Cullinan priced at P36.3 million after a ₱9 million markdown from its original P45.3 million floor price, and a 2022 Bentley Bentayga offered at P13.9 million after a P3.4 million cut from P17.3 million, had no takers during the auction held on December 5.
The auction managed to sell two other vehicles: a 2023 Toyota Sequoia for P6 million to Jose Mario Esteban III, and a 2022 Toyota Tundra for P3.52 million to RMCE Metal Products Trading Corp.
The unsold vehicles are among seven confiscated luxury cars previously owned by the Discayas, who no longer contested the forfeiture after authorities found the vehicles lacked proper import documentation.
The couple has been linked to a corruption probe involving government flood-control projects. Vlogs featuring their wealth, including ownership of at least 40 vehicles, went viral earlier this year as the controversy intensified starting in July.
In a previous auction on November 17, the BOC raised P38.2 million from the sale of three other confiscated cars: a Mercedes-Benz G500 Brabus (2019) bought by Simplex Industrial Corp. for P15.5 million, a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG (2022) sold for P15.6 million, and a Lincoln Navigator (2021) purchased by Lesentrell Jewelries for P7.1 million.
BOC deputy chief of staff Chris Bendijo said an auction committee will decide what to do with the Rolls-Royce and Bentley. “No plans of destroying,” Bendijo said. “As Commissioner [Ariel Nepomuceno] had said, he is inclined to sell forfeited goods to generate revenue.”
The agency has previously destroyed smuggled cars, but officials stressed that the Discayas’ confiscated vehicles will remain up for sale to maximize government revenue.
READ: BOC issues seizure warrant for 13 Discaya-linked luxury vehicles
