The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will uphold the decision of the Supreme Court affirming the validity of Executive Order No. 156 banning the importation of used vehicles, except for trucks, buses and special purpose vehicles, amid reports of continued arrivals of used cars at the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said all BOC officials assigned at the CEZA not to process any vehicle importation pending the clarification on the finality of the Supreme Court’s decision affirming the constitutionality of EO 156.

Biazon said while CEZA locators are allowed to import vehicles for their use within the Freeport zone, these cannot, however, be driven out of CEZA.

It will be recalled that then President Gloria Macapagal issued EO 156 amid complaints from the local car manufacturing industry of a slump in sales due to the importation of used cars at free port zones like CEZA. Claiming that the EO was unconstitutional, the Automotive Rebuilding Industry of Cagayan’s (ARIC) request for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) was issued by the Regional Trial Court of Cagayan. A subsequent RTC Ruling was, however, issued against the injunction appeal of ARIC.

In September 2010, a Court of Appeals ruling lifted the ban on the importation of used cars. But in January 2013, the Supreme Court Second Division set aside the Ruling of the Court of Appeals and reinstated an earlier decision of the Aparri Regional Court upholding EO 156.

According to Biazon, the car importation issue at CEZA is complicated, but the BOC will be guided by the final Ruling of the Supreme Court on the issue.*