CEBU CITY – At least five luxury vehicles worth PHP30 million that were smuggled into Cebu were destroyed on Tuesday at the Cebu International Port yard to send a message to smugglers to refrain from their illicit activities.
Lawyer Marc Anthony Patriarca, acting collector of the Bureau of Customs–Port of Cebu, said the activity was part of the simultaneous destruction of 13 vehicles nationwide led by the central office.
The BOC is celebrating on Tuesday its 119th founding anniversary. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the agency decided to forego programs to prevent crowding of people.
“All of the Philippines, this is simultaneous destruction of five vehicles. All in all, the bureau destroys 13 cars and five of them are from Cebu port,” Patriarca said.
He said the five vehicles were sneaked into the Cebu port on separate dates in 2019. The consignees failed to show import documents as well as proof of payment of correct duties and taxes.
Four of the five vehicles were smuggled by a Cebu-based businessman while the other one was included in the personal effects shipment of a returning expatriate from the United States but did not file pertinent papers to legalize it.
Ronald Morillo, head of the BOC-Cebu’s auction and cargo disposal division, told the Philippine News Agency that the vehicles destroyed were a 2012 model Land Rover, 2019 model Range Rover Evoque, Porsche 911, Mercedez Benz, and Alfa Romeo.
All these cars were not brand new when they were shipped to Cebu.
The certificate of finality issued by the BOC-Cebu said the 2012 Land Rover was consigned to a certain Mary Ann de los Santos and covered with bill of lading number 124361. The car was declared abandoned by the customs officials on Mar. 2, 2020.
The four other vehicles were consigned to Kylemelan General Merchandise, loaded in a 40-footer container van, and declared as car decorations.
Patriarca lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s policy which requires all smuggled vehicles to be destroyed to prevent these from being claimed by the smugglers through auction proceedings.
“Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero and President Duterte are serious in (the) drive against smuggling. If you want to import vehicles, you comply with the requirements and pay the correct duties and taxes,” he told newsmen who witnessed the destruction of the smuggled vehicles. (PNA)