The 2013 Rolls-Royce Cullinan of controversial contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya sold for P29,026,000 during a Bureau of Customs (BOC) auction on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, slightly above its floor price of P29,025,132.58.
The winning bidder, Pio Velasco, founder of Igorot Stone Kingdom, a cultural theme park in Baguio City that celebrates Cordilleran heritage, said he plans to preserve the vehicle as a historical artifact.
He described the Cullinan as a reminder of how public scrutiny exposed alleged corruption in government flood control projects linked to the Discayas.
Nine other luxury vehicles, seven of which belonged to the Discayas, failed to attract buyers.
Two of the couple’s vehicles, including the Rolls-Royce and a Bentley Bentayga, had already gone unsold in previous auctions on November 20, 2025, and December 5, 2025.
The Wednesday auction generated P29,042,150 in revenue, including bidders’ registration fees. Past auctions of the Discayas’ vehicles brought in P47,722,010.
The BOC said it expects to collect a total of P103,865,125.97 from all auctions of seized vehicles from the couple, with funds going to the national treasury.
Of the 13 luxury vehicles seized from the Discayas, some were voluntarily forfeited after the BOC discovered missing import records or certificates of payment.
Others remain disputed, with the couple submitting position papers to challenge the seizures.
Vehicles that did not sell in Wednesday’s auction include the Lincoln Navigator (2024), GMC Yukon Denali (2022), Cadillac Escalade (2021), Maserati Levante Modena (2022), GMC Yukon XL Denali (2022), Cadillac Escalade ESV (2022), Bentley Bentayga (2022), and two Bugatti Chiron units (2017 and 2019).
The BOC plans to reauction six of these cars on February 25, while the Bentley and Bugatti units may be offered for direct sale, pending Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno’s decision.
BOC spokesperson Chris Bendijo said auctions allow the agency to set floor prices based on depreciation, helping maximize government revenue.
He added that even unsold vehicles will not be destroyed, which remains an available remedy under forfeiture rules.
Bendijo also noted that Bugatti Chiron units may lose value if left unsold over time, a factor the agency will consider before deciding on direct offers.
The Discayas’ construction firms dominated government flood control projects from 2022 to 2025, securing around P31 billion worth of contracts.
The ongoing auctions represent efforts by the government to recover assets linked to these projects and ensure accountability in public infrastructure spending.
Photo from Top Gear Philippines
