Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon has spelled out what the heads of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) should explain to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), in the event they get summoned to its ongoing flood control projects investigation.

This, as Ridon, chairman of the House of Representatives' Infrastructure Committee (infra comm) gave clarification on Tuesday, Oct. 7 regarding his appeal to the ICI the previous day.

"To be clear, we are calling on the [ICI] to call on the heads of the LTO and the BOC to shed light on the actual importation and registration status of Discaya vehicles deemed as hot cars," Ridon said in a statement.

The "hot cars" refer to the alleged smuggled luxury vehicles owned by the controversial Curlee and Sarah Discaya.

The controversial contractor-couple from Pasig City are central figures in anomalous and "ghost" flood mitigation projects, which also involve lawmakers such as congressmen and senators.

Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II leads the LTO, while Nepomuceno heads the BOC.

"Particularly, the current LTO leadership should disclose whether prior registration, it had determined whether correct taxes and duties had been paid by the Discayas over two vehicles registered within its term: 2024 Toyota Landcruiser and 2024 Lincoln Navigator," Ridon said.

"On the other hand, as the current BOC leadership is relatively new, it should determine with certainty which former and current officials may have colluded in allowing the importation these Discaya hot cars," noted the lawyer-legislator.

Mendoza took over the reins at LTO in July 2023, while Nepomuceno was appointed BOC chief only July this year.

Last week, it was reported that several luxury were confiscated from the parking area of St. Gerrard Construction in Pasig City and taken to the BOC in Manila. St. Gerrard is one of the Discayas' construction firms.

In a subsequent statement, the BOC revealed that eight of the vehicles “were imported without any corresponding entry" and were considered “smuggled and subject to the issuance of Warrants of Seizure and Detention.”

Information received by this reporter from a source indicated the way by which the luxury vehicles may have been processed.

"First, the car is taken out of the shipping container. The car importer then pays the tariff with the BOC," the source said.

"The receipt is then transmitted to LTO for registration. Registration of imported cars is not automatic. LTO can question if the right fees were not paid," it added.