2 MERCEDES BENZ CARS VANISH IN SUBIC

MANILA BULLETIN - JONAS REYES

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Two luxury Mercedez Benz cars stored for safekeeping by Superrand Transport & General Services Inc. (STGSI) were allegedly missing at the Task Force Subic’s warehouse here. STGSI treasurer Consuelina Dominguez reported the disappearance of the two expensive vehicles after she visited the warehouse where the Mercedes Benz 2006 (model S350) and Mercedes Benz 2007 (model S5500 were stored.

She said that the units were removed from the warehouse in the early morning of last June 23 when typhoon “Frank” was lashing the area. It was removed by a Korean national, who was the same Korean earlier apprehended for having 14 units of high-end luxury vehicles in his possession.

The 14 luxury vehicles were seized at the Auto Trend in Quezon City and at his resident in Taguete St., Angeles City, by Task Force Subic, who was then led by the late General Jose Calimlim. Dominguez said that the Korean showed a deed of sale sdated Aug. 22, 2007. It indicated that the two units were sold to him by Hidemitshu Trading Corp. with the deed signed by Hidemitshu President Alonso Dominguez.

But Alonso denied that he had sold the two cars to the Korean, saying that he had been out of the country since July 2, 2007, and had returned home on Aug. 24 of the same year. Alonso added that thet two Mercedes Benz cars were not part of the 14 high-end luxury vehicles that were smuggled out of the Subic Bay Freeport by the Korean.

He also said that the proper taxes were paid for the two cars. “The question of ownership is not the issue, but that the two Mercedes Benz units were released without complying with the rules of the Bureau of Customs, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and the Land Transportation Authority, and the Land Transportation Office, Alonso said.

PASG’s Task Force Subic headed by lawyer Edmund Arrugay said that the group is looking into the matter that it will issue a statement after the investigation is finished.