Willie Revillame issued 3 checks for Ferrari - PASG

The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group said Willie Revillame issued three checks for a Ferrari allegedly smuggled into the country, GMA News 24 Oras reported on Monday. The PASG claimed that the checks, worth P2 million each, were issued by Revillame to a certain Ernesto Enriquez as payment for the said sports car. The report quoted the PASG as saying that the first two checks were issued November and December of last year, while the third check was issued on January 19, 2008. All the checks were allegedly from Revillame’s personal bank account. Enriquez was not able to cash the check when the controversy erupted, the report said. GMA News said Enriquez stated in his affidavit submitted to PASG that Revillame gave him P3 million as down payment for the vehicle. He reportedly said the TV host even traded a Mercedez Benz worth P8 million for the Ferrari. “Gusto ko lang aminin niya na binili niya ito granting na hindi niya alam na gan’on ang diperensiya ng kotse. Makipag-usap lang siya sa amin, hindi ‘yong…parang namang lumalabas na kami ay nangha-harass. Hindi naman gan’on (We just want Revillame to admit that he bought the car, granting that he didn’t know the vehicle's defect. We just want him to talk to us. We’re not harassing him. That’s not the way it is)," Undersecretary Antonio Villar, PASG chief, said. Revillame reportedly returned the Ferrari to Enriquez when the issue about the car emerged. “Si Mr Enriquez okay naman sa kanya na ibalik sa kanya, siya naman ang nagbenta. Binalik niya uli 'yong Mercedez kay Willie plus ‘yong pera pinalitan ng isang auto, ‘yong isang Audi na bago (It’s okay for Mr Enriquez to have the car returned to him. He returned the Mercedez Benz to Revillame, and the money paid for the Ferrari was exchanged with an Audi sports car)," said Assistant Secretary Danilo Mangila. Armand Marcelo, counsel of Revilame, reiterated his client’s stand denying the PASG’s claim. “Yung Ferrari na ‘yon tinest drive lang ni Willie because they were negotiating for a possible purchase. Eh hindi naman sila nagkasundo, and ang naging resulta ang binili ni Willie sa kanya ay isang Audi at saka isang Range Rover. Do’n siya nag-issue ng tseke (Willie just test drove the Ferrari, at the time when they were negotiating for a possible purchase. But they did not agree on the price. Willie instead bought an Audi and a Range Rover)" Marcelo said. GMA News also reported that Enriquez was seeking the help of the PASG for the tax settlement and registration of the Ferrari. "Sana magbayad na lang sila ng tama kasi kahit magpalusot ka ngayon sa SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) o kahit sa ibang ports natin, hindi na rin sila makakalusot (I hope that they will pay the right taxes, because there is no way now that they can circumvent the law)" said lawyer Edmund Arugay, PASG operations officer. - AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV