FEBRUARY 11, 2026 — The infamous Rolls-Royce Cullinan once owned by contractor couple Sarah and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya has finally found a new home. After failing to attract buyers in two previous auctions, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) sold the luxury vehicle for ₱29,026,000 to Igorot Stone Kingdom Inc., represented by its founder and CEO, Engineer Pio Velasco. The winning bid was just a hairline above the floor price of ₱29,025,132.58.

For those who may not know, Pio Velasco is the visionary behind the Igorot Stone Kingdom in Baguio City — a 6,000-square-meter cultural theme park built in 2021. The park showcases Cordilleran stonework and folklore, symbolizing Igorot heritage through its massive stone-layered walls. Despite facing closure in 2022 due to permit issues, Velasco reopened the attraction in 2023, cementing his reputation as a determined builder and cultural advocate.

So why the Rolls-Royce?

Velasco explained his motivation clearly: “The Igorot people want to preserve history.” 

He said they wanted to save the infamous vehicle from eventual condemnation if it remained unsold. For him, the Rolls-Royce is more than a car — it’s a symbol of a chapter in Philippine history that stirred public discourse on wealth, corruption, and excess.

And yes, even Willie Revillame threw his hat into the bidding ring, adding a dash of showbiz flair to the whole spectacle. He didn’t walk away with the prize, but his interest proved just how much this car had captured the imagination of both ordinary folks and big names alike.

After all, isn’t this the same Rolls-Royce that once made headlines for catching Sarah Discaya’s eye — thanks to nothing more than its “bonus feature”: an umbrella?

But here’s where things get ironic. Pio Velasco isn’t just the man behind the Igorot Stone Kingdom — he’s also a contractor for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). That detail matters because the Discaya couple, the car’s former owners, were DPWH contractors themselves, implicated in the massive flood control scandal that exposed corruption in government projects.

So now we have a Rolls-Royce once tied to the excesses of DPWH contractors, bought and preserved by another DPWH contractor who insists it should be remembered as part of history. Velasco frames the purchase as cultural preservation, a way to keep the vehicle from being destroyed. And yet, the irony is impossible to ignore.

The Cullinan has certainly shifted from scandal to spectacle, from being mocked for its “umbrella feature” to becoming a cultural artifact parked in Baguio. But the fact that it’s now in the hands of another DPWH contractor adds a layer of complexity that makes the story even more compelling.

Isn’t it interesting how the Rolls-Royce ends up with another contractor — does that make you raise an eyebrow or two?

(Image: Screen capture from Facebook)