Camille Naredo

The Bureau of Customs executes a court-ordered search on luxury vehicles linked to the Discayas, September 2, 2025. Handout/BOC

The Bureau of Customs executes a court-ordered search on luxury vehicles linked to the Discayas, September 2, 2025.

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756816752617viber_image_2025-09-02_17-30-01-179.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Bureau of Customs executes a court-ordered search on luxury vehicles linked to the Discayas, September 2, 2025. Handout/BOC"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Bureau of Customs executes a court-ordered search on luxury vehicles linked to the Discayas, September 2, 2025. <em>Handout/BOC</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The government should receive over P100 million in taxes from the Discayas for their numerous vehicles, according to Senator Erwin Tulfo during the budget hearing in the Senate on Tuesday.</p><p>Former Pasig mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya and husband Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II are owners of firms which bagged several flood control projects from the government from July 2022 to May 2025.</p><p>Tulfo said, “For example, kung yung sasakyan na na-acquire niya is P22 million, dapat 100% din, P22 million, 100% din po ang tax. Kung kunwari yung value ng vehicle nga is P5 million yung Range Rover dapat po eh nasa P5 million din po ang tax. So that&#x27;s around P10 million ang total. Is that correct?”</p><p>“That&#x27;s correct, Mr. Chair,” Bureau of Customs (BOC) Deputy Commissioner Michael Fermin replied.</p><p>“So more or less po, dapat may mga makukuha ho tayong over P100 million po siguro sa dami po ng sasakyan na yun. Give or take, siguro give, mas marami po dahil sa dami po noon,” Tulfo continued.</p><p>“Tama po, Mr. Chair,” Fermin affirmed.</p><p>The BOC raided the Discaya compound in Pasig City on Tuesday.</p><p>According to Fermin, the Discayas will be given enough time to present all the documents for their vehicles.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/discaya-couple-owns-80-vehicles-says-estrada-1746">READ: Discaya couple owns 80 vehicles, says Estrada</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/search-warrant-served-for-discaya-luxury-cars-0925">READ: Customs to track down Discaya luxury cars after finding only 2 in Pasig compound search</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>FLOOD CONTROL</strong></div><p>Tulfo also asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) if it has checked whether contractors involved in flood control projects pay taxes.</p><p>BIR Deputy Commissioner Marissa Cabreros said they have started looking into reports.</p><p>“With reference of the voluntary declaration of all these companies, we do have the information. We were able to extract information already but unfortunately, we cannot share at the moment the voluntary payments made by each of the companies but we are willing to share as mentioned by the Commissioner in an executive session,” Cabreros answered.</p><p>“But with reference to the audit and investigation, it normally takes time because we will look into the third-party information and match it with their voluntary declaration if they have properly reported and paid taxes on their earnings,” she added.</p><p>Cabreros explained that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as a government contractor, is required to withhold and remit to the BIR 2% withholding tax on income and 5% final withholding tax on VAT or 7% of the entire contract.</p><p>She noted that all the payments should have already been remitted because the contracts have been paid.</p><p>“With reference to the allegation of those ghost projects, as far as BIR is concerned po kung may binayaran ang DPWH, whether sa legit contractor or ghost contractor basta may binayaran po sila, dapat po merong na-remit na withholding taxes sa BIR,” Cabreros said.</p><p>She said the BIR will look into the reports of the DPWH and Commission on Audit (COA). The BIR has also coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).</p><p>The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), meanwhile, explained that they do not yet have a system for vetting projects.</p><p>“The functions lies with the department which, as for this case, the Department of Public Works and Highways as to the validity or rather the propriety of the projects,” DBM Undersecretary Rolando Toledo said.</p><p>He cited the Administrative Code of 1987.</p><p>“They are the ones responsible in identifying, planning, securing funding for programs, designing, contract, or undertaking pre-qualification bidding, and awarding contracts of public works projects within, with the exception only to specialist projects undertaken by the government or corporate entities,” Toledo said.</p><p>He assured the committee they are looking at ways to improve their system.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tg99pG0HPmg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The government should receive over P100 million in taxes from the Discayas for their numerous vehicles, according to Senator Erwin Tulfo during the budget hearing in the Senate on Tuesday.</p>

The government should receive over P100 million in taxes from the Discayas for their numerous vehicles, according to Senator Erwin Tulfo during the budget hearing in the Senate on Tuesday.

Tulfo estimates tax for vehicles of Discayas to be over P100-M

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Tulfo estimates tax for vehicles of Discayas to be over P100-M

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 02, 2025 09:58 PM PHT

Read More:

flood control

Erwin Tulfo

tax

vehicles

DBM

Department of Budgement and Management

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