CUSTOMS Commissioner Angelito Alvarez on Tuesday said the agency seized another batch of luxury vehicles that entered the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) on May 23.

Alvarez said his personnel stationed at the Cagayan de Oro Port seized two Mercedez Benzes, four Toyota Bitz, a Dodge Durango and a Ford Explorer found concealed in container van at MCT, a terminal operated by the International Container Terminal Services Inc. The BOC is still estimating the cost of the vehicles.

Initial investigation traced some of the shipments to suspected luxury car smuggler Lynard Allan Bigcas, Alvarez said.

“We were alerted about the shipments two weeks ago,” Alvarez said.

He said administrative charges will be filed against Monadatu Mangadang, the acting Land Transportation Office district officer in Iligan for falsifying documents for the smuggled vehicles.

Alvarez was under fire during the past few weeks, partly triggered by the recent seizure of the operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of 29 luxury vehicles and motorcycles that were smuggled through MCT. The issue also caught the ire of President Aquino.

As a result of this smuggling issue, Alvarez implemented a reshuffle with MCT district collector Lowell Medija replaced by lawyer Ernilito Aquino as officer in charge.

Medija has opted to be on a voluntary leave for 30 days, pending an investigation being conducted on car smuggling.

“He filed a leave of absence so as not to influence the investigation,” Alvarez said. “If there is any suspicion that he committed any wrongdoing, he said he is willing to face investigation.”

Also being replaced was Noah Dimaporo as the MCT deputy collector for administration and port operations. Lawyer Noe Espenila Jr. replaced Dimaporo.

Alvarez also appointed Hernando Mendoza, assistant chief of assessment in the Port  of Davao as the acting chief assessment division of MCT.

Other personnel appointed were Rene Buan from the CDO Port Collector’s Office as acting chief, cargo control and Quinciano Pavadora Jr. as new acting deputy collector for assessment at the MCT.

The MCT was under the BOC’s CDO Port collection district.

Bigcas, a well-known car dealer in Mindanao, was caught in possession of smuggled luxury cars and motor vehicles which were believed to have been stolen in other countries.

Bigcas said he was able to slip the vehicles by having the vehicle parts disassembled and sent through the balikbayan box system.