Three Luxury Vehicles Sold in High-Stakes Auction
The Bureau of Customs successfully auctioned three of seven luxury vehicles seized from controversial contractors Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya and Cezarah Rowena "Sarah" Discaya during a public bidding event held on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
The auction generated a total of PHP 38,211,710 from two winning bidders. Simplex Industrial Corp. purchased two vehicles, while Lestrell Jewelries acquired one luxury car.
Breaking Down the Auction Results
Simplex Industrial Corp. emerged as the major buyer, securing two premium Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The company paid PHP 15,500,000 for a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G500 Brabus and PHP 15,611,710 for a 2022 Mercedes Benz G63 AMG.
Lestrell Jewelries successfully bid PHP 7,100,000 for a 2022 Lincoln Navigator, completing the trio of vehicles sold during this initial auction phase.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno expressed optimism about the ongoing process, stating that the government expects to collect more than PHP 103 million if all seven vehicles find buyers.
Four Vehicles Await Second Auction Attempt
The auction committee declared a failed bidding for four other luxury vehicles that attracted no interested bidders. These included a 2022 Toyota Tundra with an initial floor price of PHP 4,994,079, a 2023 Toyota Sequoia priced at PHP 7,258,800.36, a 2023 Rolls-Royce Cullinan valued at PHP 45,314,391.11, and a 2022 Bentley Bentayga with a floor price of PHP 17,311,121.93.
Lawyer Chris Bendijo, deputy chief of staff of the Office of the Commissioner, explained that the committee will reconvene to reassess the pricing strategy for the remaining vehicles. "Those vehicles that were subject of a failed bidding, the committee will reconvene and recompute the floor price," Bendijo stated.
He revealed that while the initial auction used a 10 percent depreciation factor, future calculations might increase to 16 percent depreciation and consider current market prices more aggressively. The Bureau plans to republish new floor prices within five days.
Government's Commitment to Recovery Efforts
Prior to the auction, Commissioner Nepomuceno conducted an inspection of all seven vehicles at the BOC main office in Port Area, Manila. He was accompanied by newly appointed Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Independent Commission for Infrastructure chairperson Andres Reyes Jr., and Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon.
Secretary Dizon emphasized the government's determination to recover stolen public funds. "Government will not stop and is just beginning to recover money stolen from the Filipinos by those involved in infrastructure project anomalies," he declared.
Dizon assured the public that this auction represents only the beginning of a broader effort to return stolen resources to the national treasury. "First of all, you know that the legacy of our President is that not only should those who are responsible for stealing all of our money be imprisoned. But the money of our countrymen must also be returned. And this is the beginning," he emphasized.
The official further warned that arrest warrants will soon be issued against individuals involved in the anomalies, signaling intensified government action against corruption in infrastructure projects.
