Cebu businessmen charged in P18-billion smuggled cars case

Six persons, including three officials of a Cebu-based auto company, were charged before the Department of Justice for allegedly being behind the smuggling of 23 assorted vehicles amounting to P18 billion into the country.

The vehicles were discovered in two 40-container vans that arrived in Misamis Oriental in 2011 as well as in a car showroom in Cebu.

Charged were JV&A Enterprises owner Alejandro Alberto Millanes of Bangkal, Davao City, and officials of Cebu’s Total Golden Motor Care Inc., that included its president Chiu Myung Jong, secretary Johanna Lariosa, and directors Lee Mee Lee, Felimer Lee and Godofredo Gimongala.

At a news conference at the DOJ, Biazon said that the vehicles, some of them used cars, came from China and Taiwan.

“The message of the Bureau of Customs is that we will perform our duties in stopping smuggling,” Biazon said in Filipino.

The two container vans that yielded the vehicles arrived at the Mindanao Container Terminal at Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental in the months of May and June last year.

Among the vehicles valued at P13 million that were found there were two Mercedez Benzes, a Ford Explorer 4×4, a Dodge Durango, four Toyota, Starex and Sorento.

Biazon said the vehicles from the container vans were misdeclared as used industrial equipment.

The nine imported vehicles found at the showroom in Mabolo, Cebu, valued at P5 million did not have the required import permit.

Biazon said the vehicles have been impounded at the BOC office and would be auctioned off.

Biazon also lauded a Manila regional trial court’s decision to convict a trader and his customs broker for a 2009 smuggling case.

Biazon was referring to the July 12 conviction of Danilo Villar, who owns Vill Gay Forwarding Services, and his customs broker Danilo Opiniano who were sentenced to a jail term of eight years and one day to nine years. Inquirer