24 RHD vehicles forfeited to gov't

The Bureau of Customs has forfeited in favor of the government 24 right-hand-drive Sports Utility Vehicles earlier seized by the National Bureau of Investigation for violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

District collector Lourdes Mangaoang ordered the forfeiture of the vehicles owned by Sulpicio and Dalisay Jao after the couple failed to appear in several hearings of the case despite prior notices.

Mangaoang said that Jao failed to appear when the case was set for hearings last May 26 and June 8, respectively, prompting Rennan Oliva of the NBI who represented the government to move that the vehicles be forfeited in favor of the government.

Mangaoang said that the importation of the said luxury vehicles was also a clear violation of the Republic Act 8506 and the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, particularly Section 2530, which provides "any article the importation or exportation of which is effected or attempted contrary to law is subject to forfeiture under the customs law".

The Jao couple is also facing criminal charges before the Regional Trial Court in Mandaue City relative to the illegal importation of the vehicles. The NBI under the leadership of then regional director Reynaldo Esmeralda raided Jao's warehouse in Mandaue City last January 16, 2004 based on a search warrant issued by MTCC judge Rogelio Lucmayon.

The NBI was tipped off that Jao's warehouse is used as storage for illegally imported vehicles. - Fred P. Languido