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S
AN Juan Mayor Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Friday said he is
no smuggler and branded as “misleading,” newspaper reports that
linked him to ownership of several smuggled vehicles.
Ejercito said that he was
surprised to read in the papers that he was the owner of smuggled
cars, and even tried to stop a raid of the Auto Sports 24 Corp. in
Makati City where 84 luxury vehicles were parked. He said he was
having his Range Rover’s horn fixed at the shop.
“I was surprised to find out
that an operation by the PASG [Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group]
was just concluded because of the presence of the media and some
operatives,” he said.
He said he was informed by the
PASG Team Leader, a certain Ross Bautista, that all the cars in the
motor shop have to undergo verification of papers.
Of the 84 vehicles, 81 were
reportedly found lacking the necessary papers to show they were
imported into the country legally.
Ejercito said he voluntarily
presented the documents of his vehicles to PASG operatives, who
eventually gave the clearance for him to leave.
“The operatives, namely Team
Leader Bautista, and the head NBI investigator clarified that I
never attempted to intervene in their operation at the said motor
shop,” he said.
At least P200 million worth of
smuggled luxury vehicles were seized by operatives from the motor
shop.
Seven vehicles were reportedly
owned by Ejercito. Among them are a Mercedes-Benz 320 (plate no.
ZFT-700), a Mercedes-Benz 350 SL (NFT-834), a BMW M6 (EJV-707), a
Range Rover (HSE-800), a 1956 Thunderbird, a black Ferrari
(UNT-829), and a BMW 750 (TLU-878).
He quickly clarified that he only
owns two cars—the Range Rover and the BMW M6, which was also being
serviced then.
He also said that the black
Ferrari belonged to Ińigo Zobel, and admitted it was a gift from
Zobel who stood as his best man during his wedding.
“I just got hold of the
registration papers recently since Mr. Zobel just arrived from
Europe. PASG operatives cleared the said vehicle upon seeing that
the taxes and customs duties were duly paid for,” he said.
--Francis Earl A. Cueto
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