The Bureau of Customs (BOC) dismissed a social media post alleging that one of the Discayas’ luxury cars was being driven around Metro Manila.
The BOC had seized several of the Discaya’s vehicles after they failed to prove that they were legally imported.
In a statement to reporters on Tuesday, October 18, the BOC said that the Rolls-Royce shown in the viral video has a different plate number from the one seized from the Discaya couple.
“The said Rolls-Royce, along with other luxury vehicles confiscated from the Discaya family, remains under the official custody of the BOC. All seized vehicles are securely stored under the strict supervision of the Customs Police, safeguarded by physical barriers, security personnel, and inventory controls that prevent any unauthorized access, movement, or release,’ the bureau said.
No seized property may be taken out of the compound without proper authority, stressed the BOC.
‘Any unauthorized release, tampering, or movement of seized items constitutes a serious violation punishable under existing customs laws and regulations, including administrative and criminal penalties,’ the bureau said.
The BOC did not specify the source of the original post, but it showed a screenshot of a story claiming to have gotten information that the Discayas’ Rolls-Royce was seen roaming around Makati, near the Trump Tower.
No charges will be filed against the person who posted the false information, said the BOC, adding that it understood that people were frustrated and confused.
The Discaya couple is one of the focal points of the infrastructure corruption scandal. In a sworn affidavit presented to the Senate, the couple admitted to participating in a kickback scheme with lawmakers, saying that they were being coerced into it.