FBI provides Phl with evidence to pin down Bigcas

MANILA, Philippines - The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has provided Philippine authorities with evidence to pin down Lynard Allan Bigcas, a businessman accused of smuggling high-powered firearms and vehicles.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas yesterday said the FBI provided details that showed Bigcas was lying before the panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigating the allegations of smuggling stolen vehicles from the US.

Fariñas said Bigcas could be charged with perjury for making false statements before the DOJ panel.

He said it was possible that Bigcas could also be charged in the US since he is a resident of Texas.

Bigcas has been accused of smuggling luxury cars and high-end motorcycles, including one allegedly stolen from Hollywood screenwriter Skip Woods.

Bigcas denied the allegations and told the DOJ panel that he owns the vehicles purchased for his business. 

The FBI earlier confirmed that 11 of the 25 vehicles seized from Bigcas during the raid by lawmen at his warehouses in Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro came from the US.

Fariñas, chairman of the House subcommittee on tariff and customs, said the US authorities were able to trace the motorcycle stolen from Woods to Bigcas. 

He said FBI officials arrived in Manila recently and coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) through the US embassy.

“I appeal to the DOJ, the NBI and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to get their act together and file strong cases because everything’s here already. The FBI did the job for us,” Fariñas said.

“The FBI did a very thorough job in investigating the case, including interviews and confessions. And they provided them to us through the US embassy,” he said.

Fariñas said among the documents submitted by the FBI were interviews of those who had dealings with Bigcas in the US, including gun dealers and the forwarding firms from Houston, Texas.

Also interviewed by FBI agents was Bigcas’ wife, Joann, who claimed her husband got so many calls from Customs officials when the news of his alleged smuggling activities in the last few years came out last May.

Joann also allowed FBI agents to search their property and even made mention of several guns in their house that she found, Fariñas said.

Fariñas also showed portions of a report that showed Bigcas bought 40 boxes of ammunition of various calibers and over 20 complete and parts of high-powered firearms and four semi-automatic pistols.

The evidence provided by the FBI was detailed and included all documents, such as copies of bills of lading of Bigcas’ transactions and purchases in the US, he said.

From Houston, the vehicles and guns would be moved to Los Angeles and transported to Singapore. From Singapore, the items would be moved to smaller vessels that can sail and dock in the port of Cagayan de Oro.

Fariñas explained that under the US system, if one is transporting vehicles outside the country, the mover should declare them.

“The US authorities are very angry because they believe in their system but he (Bigcas) abused it,” Fariñas said.