Don’t destroy luxury cars, lawmakers urge GMA

By Maricel V. Cruz Manila Times Reporter

THE House of Representatives disagree with President Arroyo’s decision to burn and destroy all seized smuggled luxury cars, saying that an auction of the hot cars could raise additional revenues for the government.

Rep. Exequiel Javier of Antique, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, on Monday called on the President to reconsider her decision to destroy those vehicles and proposed the immediate auction of Porches, BMWs, Ferraris and other luxury vehicles in the custody of the Bureau of Customs.

The President ordered that all seized smuggled luxury cars must immediately be crushed into pieces on national television so smugglers cannot benefit from these vehicles anymore.

“The auction money will definitely be a bigger take than the kilos of scrap metal and spare parts out of these crushed vehicles,” said Javier.

But the administration’s critics doubted the President’s efforts, saying that crushing these seized luxury vehicles would not be the effective way to address the problem.

Party-list Rep. Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis said that if President Arroyo is indeed serious in her campaign to run after smugglers, then she should have done it from the first day she assumed into office.

“Destroying the luxury vehicles on a national television may not be the sincere move to address the problem,” Beltran said.

Javier believed that the government could make good money out of the luxury vehicles instead of depreciating their value in warehouses or destroying them.

But he said an auction should not stop the government from filing the necessary charges against the smugglers of the luxury cars.

He said the auction should be conducted in a transparent manner.

“The previous owner should not be allowed to participate, otherwise, they will just take advantage of the process to circumvent the law,” Javier said. “The Customs and other government agencies in charge of the auction should discharge their duties honestly and competently since their performance is closely being watched by the President in light of the need to enhance revenue generation and tax collection.”