MANILA, Philippines — In a significant step toward asset recovery, the Integrated Car Intelligence (ICI)—a multi-agency task force specializing in high-value vehicle tracking—turned over a fleet of luxury vehicles formerly owned by a high-ranking Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) executive to the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
The turnover is part of the ongoing investigation into the unexplained wealth and alleged graft cases involving former DPWH Assistant Secretary Federico “Fred” Mendoza, whose assets were frozen by the Sandiganbayan earlier this year.
The ICI, composed of operatives from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the Philippine National Police (PNP), recovered the vehicles from various “safe houses” across Metro Manila and Cavite.
The fleet, valued at an estimated ₱85 million, includes:
- Two 2024 Land Cruiser LC300s (Bulletproof variants)
- One Porsche 911 Carrera S
- One Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon
- Three luxury custom vans used for regional “inspections”
The ICI turnover comes after the task force successfully unmasked a network of “dummies” used to register the vehicles.
- LTO Discrepancies: The ICI discovered that several vehicles were registered under the names of low-ranking DPWH staff and distant relatives who did not have the financial capacity to own such assets.
- Customs Verification: The BOC also flagged three of the vehicles for “technical smuggling,” as their declared import values were significantly lower than market prices at the time of entry.
Receiving the keys at the Ombudsman’s headquarters in Quezon City, Ombudsman Samuel Martires stated that the vehicles will be held in government custody pending the final resolution of the forfeiture case.
“This turnover sends a clear message: public service is not a path to illicit luxury. We will follow the assets wherever they are hidden,” Martires told reporters.
The Ombudsman’s office is also looking into allegations that the vehicles were used to transport “facilitation fees” for multi-billion peso infrastructure projects during Mendoza’s tenure. Mendoza has consistently denied the allegations, claiming the vehicles were acquired through a “legitimate family car dealership business.”
The Sandiganbayan is scheduled to hear the formal forfeiture case next month. If the court rules in favor of the government, the luxury vehicles will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the national treasury to fund public infrastructure—ironically, the very sector Mendoza once managed.