THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) will release its initial report on the 28 luxury vehicles owned by the Discaya family by Monday, Sept. 8.

Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said on Friday the bureau is verifying the vehicles’ import documents and assess potential discrepancies.

Twelve of the cars, owned by flood control contractors Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II, were confiscated following a court-ordered search operation in Pasig City, and 16 were voluntarily surrendered to Customs.

“The 16 vehicles are now undergoing processing by the BOC for sealing and documentation, and will be guarded by Customs personnel, pending verification of importation records and assessment of duties and taxes,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday.

Among the seized vehicles are high-end models such as a Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Range Rover LWB, Land Rover Defender, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Ford Bronco, Mercedes-Benz GLS 350, BMW X5 30D, Jaguar F-Pace 2.0D, Porsche Cayenne V6, Volvo XC90, Mercedes-Benz Avant, Range Rover Evoque and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.

Nepomuceno said the focus of the investigation is to determine whether the vehicles were legally imported and if there are any discrepancies in the documents.

“We will compare what they paid and the documentation submitted to see if the vehicle models match. Any discrepancies or potential fraudulent alterations will be identified,” he said.

The commissioner confirmed that most of the 28 vehicles are now in the bureau’s possession.

The investigators are coordinating with the Land Transportation Office in cross-checking the vehicles’ records. “We are focusing first on the 28 vehicles reported to the Blue Ribbon Committee. But our work will continue beyond these if more vehicles are identified,” Nepomuceno said.

The Discayas’ companies, Alpha & Omega Construction and St. Timothy Construction, were among the top 15 contractors identified by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as having cornered government flood control projects.

The President said some P100 billion of the P545 billion for flood control construction from 2022 were paid to select contractors.

Also on Friday, the lawyer of the Discaya family said criminal charges are being prepared against individuals who staged a protest outside the family’s St. Gerrard compound in Pasig City.

Around two dozen protesters from the Youth Against Kurakot, Akbayan Party and allied groups gathered at the St. Gerrard Construction compound in Pasig City for the second straight day to denounce massive irregularities in flood control projects linked to corporations once owned by the Discaya family.

Some of the demonstrators threw mud at the compound and spray-painted the main gate with words such as “magnanakaw (thief).”, This news data comes from:http://nsy-kf-scj-ntcc.jyxingfa.com

“All culprits must be unmasked,” said Khylla Meneses, Akbayan Youth secretary-general and Youth Against Kurakot co-convenor. “There are so many ghost projects that continue to haunt us. We must identify and hold accountable the certified plunderers like the Discayas, who openly steal the youth’s future.”

Meneses stressed that the losses go beyond stolen funds. “With so many ghost projects that continue to haunt us every time a project disappears, every time billions disappear, it is not only money that you steal, but also the future of the youth,” she said.

Akbayan president Rafaela David said the Discayas were only “the tip of the iceberg.”

“The Discaya alleged syndicate is just a symptom of a deeper network of corruption,” David said. “We must ask: who are their accomplices in government? Who profits while Filipinos suffer? All links must be exposed and punished to end this culture of plunder.”

Customs preparing report on Discayas’ 28 luxury cars

David urged authorities to freeze the group’s assets. “It is not enough to put them on a travel bulletin or revoke their accreditation,” she said. “Their assets must be frozen before they hide the stolen money. It must be returned to the people.”

The Pasig City police chief, Col. Hendrix Mangaldan, urged rallyists to exercise their rights without resorting to violence. “We call on the public to trust in the legal process and to respect the rule of law at all times,” Mangaldan said.

Discaya lawyer Cornelio Samaniego III said evidence gathered from CCTV footage had identified the groups involved in the protest and its organizers.

The charges could include malicious mischief, and alarm and scandal.

Samaniego declined to disclose the Discayas’ current location, but confirmed that they remain in the country.

He also said the family respects the government’s issuance of an immigration lookout bulletin order, stressing that it is “an administrative action” and does not automatically restrict travel.

“The Discayas have no plans to leave. In fact, they will attend the Senate hearing on Monday,” Samaniego said.

He also clarified that while the Discaya family once owned Great Pacific Builders, they have already divested from the firm.

“Ms. Sarah [Discaya] has divested from eight corporations. The only companies she holds now are Alpha and Omega Corporation,” he said.