By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – The public auction of six luxury cars seized by the government failed to push through on Thursday after no bidders registered, according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
In a social media post, the BOC said the auction was declared a failed bidding “due to absence of registered bidders.”
The luxury vehicles offered through sealed bidding were a 2019 Lexus ES priced at PHP2,157,926; a 2023 BMW X6 priced at PHP7,046,485; a 2021 Jeep Wrangler priced at PHP2,207,334; a 2023 Mercedes-Benz S680 Maybach priced at PHP9,693,551; a 2023 Bentley Continental priced at PHP21,693,667; a 2021 Rolls-Royce Cullinan priced at PHP27,002,462.
The total floor price for all vehicles was PHP69,801,427.
The BOC said it would provide updates on the next schedule or disposition of the vehicles.
“The BOC really does not have control over bidder participation so while speculative, perhaps the bidders considered the price high,” lawyer Chris Noel Bendijo, BOC deputy chief of staff, said in an interview when asked why no bidders joined the auction.
“Nevertheless, Commissioner Ariel (Nepomuceno) has instructed the conduct of public auctions every two weeks, so we are hoping more bidders would participate in the next auction when we have reduced the floor price as well,” he added.
Bendijo said the bureau remains committed to strengthening non-traditional revenue collection mechanisms such as public auctions to help boost government revenues alongside regular collection efforts.
On April 28, the BOC-Port of Manila placed 12 luxury vehicles up for auction, but only a black 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom, which had a floor price of PHP25,542,999, was sold to lone bidder Pureblends Corporation for PHP25,543,000.
Two days later, the BOC Revenue Collection Monitoring Group conducted a negotiated sale, but the two interested participants reportedly failed to meet eligibility requirements and were barred from joining.
The failed negotiated sale involved 21 vehicles, including four luxury cars linked to controversial contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, two GMC Denali units, a Maserati Levante, and a Cadillac Escalade. (PNA)
