The condemnation area is not a place you want to see your prized vehicle parked. That's because it means it's about to be crushed under orders of the Philippine government. That's precisely what happened to a number of cars and trucks owned by folks who didn't feel like paying the required taxes and instead smuggled their vehicles into the country.
Smuggling is serious business pretty much anywhere. In the Philippines, however, President Rodrigo Duterte rules with an iron first. That style has helped earn him the nickname "The Punisher," and that's just what he did to a group of folks who wanted nicer cars.
In the Philippines, a hefty 50-percent tax is applied to vehicles that cost more than $77,000. That tax is levied in an effort to improve the poor infrastructure. While that's a good cause, some citizens just can't bring themselves to spill that much more cash on top of the cost of their already expensive rides.
While we certainly don't feel for the folks not paying their taxes, we can't help but feel a bit sad about the cars and trucks being crushed as political theater and public spectacle. Why not re-sell the vehicles and apply the proceeds of the now legal sales toward that same goal of an improved infrastructure? Turn illegal acts into something that contributes to the greater good.
If you're a fan of the C3 generation of the Chevrolet Corvette, this video will be that much harder to watch. If you're a fan of the Jaguar S-Type, just know that there are 10 or 20 others out there like you. To watch the destruction, click on the video above.
