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Sunday, March 07, 2004
Customs alerted to seize untaxed cars, motorcycles at Clark
By Fred Roxas
CLARK ECOZONE -- Local Bureau of Customs (BOC) authorities have been alerted to seize and impound at least 20 untaxed luxury cars, including a Lexus, worth millions of pesos and 18 expensive motorcycles, some of which cost $19,000 each.
One of such highly taxable vehicles, a Subaru eight-cylinder car, has been seized by BOC police agents from its owner, Multi-media Philippines.
Some vehicles facing seizure are luxury cars and vans purportedly purchased without duties and other taxes paid for by Mimosa Leisure Estate some years back when it was still managed and operated by former Tourism Sec. Antonio Gonzales.
The vehicles, imported under Republic Act 7227 that exempts locators and investors at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales from paying imports duties, were not supposed to be brought out without necessary permits from the two economic zones.
However, most of the vehicles were registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) by private persons who are not locators or investors in the Clark and Subic zones.
Sources at the BOC stationed at Clark said 13 of the expensive and untaxed Diccati brand motorcycles were shipped here from Italy through Subic Bay Freeport and five more through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in Manila.
Customs authorities are also investigating the circumstances behind the importation of nine race cars imported tax-free by Kinetech Globe International, also located at Clark, and allowed to be brought out without necessary permits for participation in recent car racing projects in Batangas.
Another questionable delivery to Clark’s Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) last Thursday night is the shipment of millions of pesos worth of aircraft parts and personal effects via an Asian Spirit 15-seater aircraft from the United States.
The plane reportedly does not have clearance from the Air Transportation Office stationed at the DMIA. Customs authorities are investigating the case.
(March 6, 2004 issue)
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