President Rodrigo Roa Duterte inspects one of the contraband luxury vehicles before they were subjected to condemnation and public destruction at Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on July 30, 2018. A total of 68 contraband luxury vehicles worth over P277 million and eight contraband luxury motorbikes worth over P19 million were destroyed as part of the President’s campaign against smuggling and corruption in government. Joining the President is Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
STA. ANA, Cagayan — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday led the public destruction of 68 luxury vehicles and eight high-end motorcycles at Port Irene here, as he renewed his commitment to fight smuggling.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte witnesses the condemnation and public destruction of contraband luxury vehicles and motorbikes at Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on July 30, 2018. A total of 68 contraband luxury vehicles worth over P277 million and eight contraband luxury motorbikes worth over P19 million were destroyed as part of the President’s campaign against smuggling and corruption in the government. Joining the President are Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and CEO Raul Lambino, and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
In his speech during the public condemnation of smuggled vehicles, President Duterte admitted that he could not completely eradicate corruption and smuggling in government but he would want to create an environment where businesses could thrive.
“Kaya ito sinira ko ‘to because you have to show to the world that you have a viable place of investment and business. And the only way to show it is that you are productive and that you have the economy to absorb the productivity of the population,” Duterte said.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte inspects one of the contraband luxury vehicles before they were subjected to condemnation and public destruction at Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on July 30, 2018. A total of 68 contraband luxury vehicles worth over P277 million and eight contraband luxury motorbikes worth over P19 million were destroyed as part of the President’s campaign against smuggling and corruption in the government. Joining the President are Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and CEO Raul Lambino and Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
He stressed the importance of peace and order in order for a community to become progressive.
“You know, before a place can really be developed or a viable place to do business, you have to establish first law and order,” he said noting the high presence of New People’s Army in Cagayan.
“You allow government to work in this area, establish economic centers, make it productive, make it safe, make the buildings, the structures fire-free. No attack, no killing,” he added.
Communist insurgency is bad for the country because it stunts economic growth, according to the President.
He reiterated his call to communist insurgents to return to the fold of the law, promising them livelihood, shelter, and jobs.
“I don’t know what will happen to the talks. But if you guys want just maybe a place where you can work and earn money for your family for their education, you might do well just to talk to anybody even to the military and the police about how we can sort it out among ourselves. War would bring us nothing,” he said.
ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
He said communist rebels will not get out of poverty if they continue to fight the government based on a “bankrupt” ideology.
The 68 luxury sedans worth P277,961,760 and eight big bikes valued at P19,567,350 are the second batch of expensive vehicles to be destroyed at Port Irene following public destruction of 14 luxury cars last March.
The expensive cars and motorbikes were part of 800 contraband vehicles imported in Cagayan through the port.
A contraband Lamborghini luxury car is turned into a pile of wreckage after it was subjected to condemnation and public destruction at Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on July 30, 2018. A total of 68 contraband luxury vehicles worth over P277 million and eight contraband luxury motorbikes worth over P19 million were destroyed as part of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s campaign against smuggling and corruption in the government. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
The event is part of Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s compliance to the directive of the President to publicly destroy illegally shipped contrabands in the country’s economic zones aimed at deterring smuggling. ###PND
