Duterte leads destruction of Ph 61. 6 million worth of smuggled luxury cars

MANILA – As part of a drive to fight corruption, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday led the destruction of P61.6 million ( US$ 1.2 million ) worth of smuggled luxury cars. According to ABS CBN News report, destroyed at the port of Manila were 20 sports car and other luxury vehicles, among which were the following models: Lexus ES300, BMW Alpina, BMW Z4, and Audi A6 Quattro. It was reported that aside from the cars destroyed in Manila, 10 smuggled vehicles were also bulldozed at the ports of Davao and Cebu.

President Duterte, who has made fighting corruption and illegal drugs the cornerstones of his administration, announced his new policy on smuggled luxury vehicles in a speech delivered during the indigenous peoples leaders summit in Davao City on February 1. He said that some importers allowed the vehicles to be seized so they could buy them later at cheaper prices instead of having to pay taxes when they are auctioned off. Normally, seized smuggled vehicles are impounded and then auctioned with the government taking the proceeds.