House urged to probe missing luxury vehicles from Subic

(Updated 5:22 p.m.) An administration lawmaker on Monday called on the House of Representatives to look into the possible collusion of some government officials to smuggle luxury vehicles through economic zones in the country such as the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said the lower chamber should find out the modus operandi of individuals behind the missing 172 luxury vehicles from Subic, which the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said may have cost the government several billions of pesos in unpaid duties. "It is difficult to imagine how 172 luxury cars could slip out of the economic zone especially so they are brought into the country as duty-free goods," Castelo said in a statement. Castello called for the investigation after the LTO found out that high-end vehicles supposed to be confined at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone are missing and cannot be accounted for. He said the missing vehicles may have been transferred to hands of private owners without having to pay duties to the government. "I want to look into the manifest possibility that those individuals responsible for having brought them into the country might have only used the economic zone so they become exempt from duties and tariffs," he said. Earlier this year, the government seized smuggled cars and motorcycle parts from the United States that entered the country through ports in Mindanao. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested last month Lynard Allan Bigcas, the person allegedly behind the smuggling activities. The suspected car smuggler was able to post a P80,000 bail for his temporary freedom. Malacañang, meanwhile, expressed confidence that newly-installed Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon will be able to address the issue. “There’s a new Customs Commissioner who is in place right now and I’m sure that he’s fully aware (of that issue)," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing. During the turnover ceremonies at the BOC, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa cited the competence of Biazon as a public servant and his commitment in implementing reforms for the country. “Commissioner Biazon has remarked that he faces a ‘gargantuan challenge’ in his new job… but on behalf of the President I would like to assure him and everyone here that the government stands behind him and trusts him to do what is necessary to keep Customs on the right track," he said. — Andreo Calonzo and Amita O. Legaspi/RSJ/KBK, GMA News