CARLESS IN SUBIC
President Arroyo is to be commended for ordering the destruction of smuggled luxury cars impounded at the Subic Freeport. She has ordered a stop to the usual SOP at Customs of placing the impounded cars on auction. More often than not, the smugglers themselves bid for those cars and, to no one’s surprise, win the bidding. And most probably paying less than the taxes due had they imported the vehicles legally. This has been going on for so long, it can best be described as a well-oiled racket worthy of the Mafia, obviously with the collusion of the usual suspects at Customs.
Fourteen luxury cars, scheduled for auction last month, will be destroyed instead on Thursday, with President Arroyo in attendance and with TV cameras rolling.
Included in the public destruction are two Mercedes Benz sedans (S350 and S550), Infinity FX45, three BMWs, two Audis, Cadillac Esplanade EXT and SUV, a Corvette, a Nissan Armada, and two Acura MDX.
Not being a car fancier, I am not awed or impressed by these glossy brand names. To me a car is only vehicle that takes me from Point A to Point B, and a lowly Altis or Lancer can perform that function just as well as any of the above.
If the importation of these luxury cars is illegal or requires the payment of huge amounts in customs duties, so be it. And anyone whose ego demands the embellishment of a snob brand should be ready to pay the full taxes due for his or her security rubber duckie. If not, burn the expensive toys to send the message that this has to stop.
Fourteen luxury cars, scheduled for auction last month, will be destroyed instead on Thursday, with President Arroyo in attendance and with TV cameras rolling.
Included in the public destruction are two Mercedes Benz sedans (S350 and S550), Infinity FX45, three BMWs, two Audis, Cadillac Esplanade EXT and SUV, a Corvette, a Nissan Armada, and two Acura MDX.
Not being a car fancier, I am not awed or impressed by these glossy brand names. To me a car is only vehicle that takes me from Point A to Point B, and a lowly Altis or Lancer can perform that function just as well as any of the above.
If the importation of these luxury cars is illegal or requires the payment of huge amounts in customs duties, so be it. And anyone whose ego demands the embellishment of a snob brand should be ready to pay the full taxes due for his or her security rubber duckie. If not, burn the expensive toys to send the message that this has to stop.
By Antonio C. Abaya - Manila Standard Today
Labels: customs, smuggling, subic bay freeport, vehicles
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
3:55 PM
1 Comments:
the only thing the government wants is to earn more money, thru TAXES, if they will just crush the cars listed on thursday they'll just waste money and time... i can just smell publicity a stunt.
if they sell those cars listed they can earn atleast 30million pesos with those cars... and 30million pesos can FEAD thousands of families already.
and with your opionion with branded cars, i just think you cant afford them. comparing a Toyota Altis to a Mercedes Benz S350 (the least priced from the list) is a big NO NO.
i think what the government should is to lessen the taxes in importing and add tax in gasoline! HAHAHAHA 'coz cars consumes gasolines. thats will ear them millions even billions of pesos per month.
im a big car fan,i love them and i want to own as much as i can. if they'll continue thus demolishion on thursday it'll just show that the country is willing to spend more than earning.
By
Anonymous, at 8/14/2007 10:48 PM
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