Today, the Bureau of Customs has destroyed 18 luxury cars, upon orders of Gloria Arroyo. She was supposed to witness the event, but she was not able to come due to some problems in the backup choppers.
There are several quarters who think that it would be better to auction the cars instead of destroying them. The ideas was turned down because (1) the Commissioner claims that the cars are right-hand drive cars and conversion of such cars is illegal; and (2) Arroyo thinks the smugglers themselves might win the auction.
When I saw the TV clip of the cars early this morning, some of the cars are left-hand drive cars, so that pricks up the Commissioner’s balloon. So destroy the right-hand drive cars, and auction the others off.
Arroyo’s reasoning, however, stumps me. Why do they smuggle these cars? To avoid customs duties. So if you auction these from a base price plus the customs duties, do you think the smugglers would even join the auction? Besides, by auctioning them off with a base price plus duties, the government earns from the auction, as if the winner of the auction has paid the necessary duties and taxes, even if he is a smuggler.
And here’s the real problem. By destroying these cars, the Arroyo administration is sending a message to smugglers. Fine. But that’s just a message. Have they hailed a smuggler to court, presented a fool-proof case, and sent one to the jail? The destroy-cars-as-message is just rhetoric, like drum-beating for a phony war, which is what about to happen in Mindanao. But that is another story.
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What a sad story. Poor cars 🙁
I’ve heard though that some of the more expensive ones weren’t destroyed. Rumors are that Iggy Arroyo and his nephew Mikey got their hands on some of them. Hmm.
So, are they ready to put down the racehorses smuggled in by Mickey? They were imported using the PSC to avoid paying the proper taxes.
The 14 cars not destroyed are still under litigation. At a time when the country needs money, this pa-pogi is totally uncalled for. What a waste of money.
you’re absolutely correct. set a base price that includes duties and auction the cars off. And that goes for the race horses and game cocks.
Hi, Josh, I’m not really into cars, but yeah, I know what you mean. And be careful with rumors, specially involving the royal family. It might get you (and me!) into trouble.
Hi, Schumey, money is not a problem, they take it from us everytime, right?
Hi, Sir MB, you mean, let’s destroy smuggled race horses and game cocks, too? Chicken Mafia will not like that! Killing those cocks, I mean.
My girl, too, wouldn’t like the idea of destroying gamecocks.
I took her to the cockfights but she was very disappointed when she found out they were roosters.
Save the cocks, they’re game.
Hi, Arthur, nice word play there, he he.