Gov’t raises P102.47M from sale of Discaya vehicles
The government has raised over P100 million from the public auctions of luxury vehicles seized in the high-profile smuggling case involving private contractors Pacifico Discaya II and his wife, Sarah.
The proceeds, which will be used to fund infrastructure and social service projects, were turned over to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday.
Totaling P102.47 million, the funds came from the sale of nine of 13 vehicles in a series of auctions held from November 2025 to February this year.
The BOC seized the imported luxury vehicles from the Discayas in September for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), shortly after reports broke out on the flood control corruption scandal in which the couple allegedly siphoned off millions of pesos in kickbacks from government contracts.
During the November auction, a 2022 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG was sold for P15.61 million, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G500 Brabus for P15.5 million, and a 2021 Lincoln Navigator L for P7.1 million.
The December auction, meanwhile, saw a 2022 Toyota Tundra fetch P3.48 million and a 2023 Toyota Sequoia sell for P6 million.
On Feb. 11, the infamous 2023 Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which Sarah said she purchased because it came with an umbrella, was sold for P29.03 million.
Another auction held in the same month dispatched of a 2024 Lincoln Navigator for P6.95 million, a 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV for P6.62 million, and a 2022 Bentley Bentayga for P12.18 million.
Four vehicles remain unsold and are expected to be offered in future auctions: a 2022 GMC Yukon Denali, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, 2022 Maserati Levante Modena and 2022 GMC Yukon XL Denali.
Symbolic demonstration
Both the BOC and BTr described the turnover of the auction proceeds as a symbolic demonstration of the rule of law, while also highlighting efforts to strengthen revenue generation and customs administration.
“The successful auction and turnover of these proceeds demonstrate the Bureau of Customs’ resolve to enforce the law while ensuring that recovered assets are returned to the Filipino people and utilized to support national development,” said Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.
On behalf of National Treasurer Sharon Almanza, BTr lawyer Jerekko Cadorna called the turnover the “culmination of careful legal and administrative processes.”
“Through the disposition of these forfeited assets, resources once tied to a legal dispute are now converted into public funds that will directly support national priorities,” he said.
