Rowegie Abanto

Bureau of Customs personnel are seen outside the St. Gerrard Construction Company, owned by Curlee and Cezarah Discaya, in Pasig City on September 2, 2025, a day after Discaya appeared before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on alleged ghost flood control projects. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Bureau of Customs personnel are seen outside the St. Gerrard Construction Company, owned by Curlee and Cezarah Discaya, in Pasig City on September 2, 2025—one day after Discaya appeared before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on alleged ghost flood control projects.
At the hearing, Discaya admitted to owning 28 luxury cars, which the family accumulated over a decade of government contracting.

 Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

DISCAYA- CORRUPTION -ISSUE

Harlene Delgado

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175990686398520250902-discaya-headquarters-JC4541-Edit-Edit.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Bureau of Customs personnel are seen outside the St. Gerrard Construction Company, owned by Curlee and Cezarah Discaya, in Pasig City on September 2, 2025, a day after Discaya appeared before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on alleged ghost flood control projects. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Bureau of Customs on Wednesday said that those interested to bid for the luxury vehicles of government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya would undergo rigorous screening. </p><p>This is to ensure that no relatives or individuals involved in the acquiring of &quot;unlawfully imported items&quot; will participate in the possible bidding, BOC Office of the Commissioner Deputy Chief of Staff Atty. Chris Bendijo said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/8/discaya-couple-aide-face-p7-1-billion-tax-charges-1030">BIR files P7.1-B tax complaints vs Discayas, says couple &#x27;never divested&#x27; from firms</a></div><p>&quot;Although open to the public, magkakaroon pa rin po tayo ng parang accreditation process at nang sa ganun matiyak naman natin hindi makikinabang yung mga responsible sa importasyon ng mga sasakyan nito, sa mga smuggling ng sasakyang ito, hindi mapupunta sa kanila yung pagkakataon na makapag-bid at mapunta sa kanila yung unlawfully imported items,&quot; he said in an interview with state-run media PTV. </p><p>Of the 30 luxury vehicles of the Discayas, 13 were issued warrant of seizure and detention for having neither import entry nor certificate of payment, according to Bendijo.</p><p>Meanwhile, 17 were found to have import entry and certificate of payment but still ordered to undergo a post-clearance audit.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/1/gov-t-could-earn-p220m-from-selling-discaya-luxury-cars-once-forfeited-1641">Gov&#x27;t could earn P220M from selling Discaya luxury cars once forfeited</a></div><p>The BOC will hold its hearing for the formal seizure proceedings on October 9.</p><p>“After all these hearings, malalaman namin specifically ano yung pwede naming kaso na isampa na dapat air-tight yan upang walang dismissal na mangyari. Kung meron silang inimport na nagkaroon ng violation sa batas, doon kami nakafocus,” Nepomuceno said.</p><div><br/></div><p>“Kapag wala pa rin po silang napatunayang dokumento dito at nasumiteng dokumento upang patunayan ang pagbabayad ng duties at taxes, ito na po ay mapo-forfeit in favor of the government,” the BOC official added. </p><p>Nepomuceno said the BOC could file a case against the Discayas in about 60 to 90 days.</p><div> </div><div><strong>CAN GOV&#x27;T OFFICIALS PARTICIPATE IN BIDDING?</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Once approved by the finance secretary, the Discayas&#x27; luxury vehicles would be auctioned for revenue generation. The auction will be open to the public, livestreamed and fully recorded for transparency and fairness, according to Bendijo.</p><p>When asked if government officials and employees would be allowed to bid, Bendijo said anyone from public office might hesitate to participate as it would entail lifestyle check.</p><p>“Kahit naman ibukas natin ito sa government employees eh syempre no kapag tayo ay magpa-participate sa luxury vehicles yung bidding nito ‘to, kaakibat nito yung sa pagsilip sa purchasing power. So kahit buksan po natin ito, natitiyak naman po natin na magiging hesitant o magdadalawang isip ang ating mga kawani ng mga pamahaalan na sumali sa mga ganitong bidding,” he noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/boc-submits-docs-of-discaya-s-luxury-vehicles-to-ici-2357">BOC submits docs of Discaya’s luxury vehicles to ICI</a></div><p>Bendijo said Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno ordered to suspend the temporary release of imported items pending the authority to release imported goods from the Bureau of Internal Revenue.</p><p>“Wala na po ‘yung temporary release, lahat po dapat dumaan muna sa BIR bago ma-release ang mga ganitong items mula po sa poder ng BOC,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PPP FOR DIGITALIZATION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, in an effort to combat smuggling, Nepomuceno said he was eyeing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to digitalize customs processes.</p><p>The customs chief, who was only appointed in July, pointed out that no funds were allocated for digitalization under the 2025 budget and 2026 National Expenditure Program.</p><p>“Meron na ngayong proponent na nanggaling sa PPP Center. Ang trabaho na lang is to make sure the minimum required features, capabilities will be there… na magkaroon ng full or 100-percent digitalized process, hindi pupwedeng partial,” he said.</p><p>One specific aspect Nepomuceno wanted to target was misdeclaration in customs papers.</p><p>“Ibig sabihin, kung ano yung laman, dapat yun din ang makita natin sa dokumento… Malaking deterrent yan (for smuggling),” he said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uMc-DJ10G24?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CtSFQJ7s8JQ?&amp;t=1s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div> </div>

<p>The Bureau of Customs on Wednesday said that those who were interested to bid for the luxury vehicles of government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya would undergo rigorous screening. </p>

The Bureau of Customs on Wednesday said that those who were interested to bid for the luxury vehicles of government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya would undergo rigorous screening.

Potential bidders for Discaya luxury cars to undergo screening: BOC

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Potential bidders for Discaya luxury cars to undergo screening: BOC

Harlene Delgado,

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 08, 2025 03:16 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 08, 2025 04:15 PM PHT

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BOC

luxury vehicles

Sarah Discaya

Curlee Discaya

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