‘The stress of owning those cars made me…’ - Igorot Stone Kingdom founder breaks silence on ‘Discaya Cars,’ says controversy came “With a Price”

Benguet, Philippines – Igorot Stone Kingdom Inc. (ISK) founder Engr. Pio Velasco has broken his silence amid longstanding public attention surrounding his acquisition of the famous Discaya luxury cars, acknowledging that the purchase came with consequences and required him to step back from public view for a time.

In a reflective statement via Facebook post on his personal account, the founder said the situation placed his actions under national scrutiny, noting that he had to stay out of the spotlight for a while as the issue drew more attention.

“With Matters of the heart, SILENCE IS DANGEROUS. The consequence of acquiring those Discaya cars, the Rolls Royce and the Cadillac comes with some red flags or so that i needed to lie low and be silent for a while. The national interest in this act we did comes with a price,” he wrote.

Pio Velasco and the Discaya cars

Velasco is a Filipino builder and entrepreneur best known as the founder of ISK. Raised in the Mountain Province, he was influenced by indigenous traditions and natural landscapes.

Velasco acquired the controversial car during the public auction of the Bureau of Customs on February 11, 2026. He won the bid for P29, 026,000—slightly above the original price of P29, 025,132.58.

The “Discaya cars” controversy is about luxury vehicles of the Discaya couple, Curlee and Sarah, seized due to alleged import and tax irregularities. One Rolls-Royce became famous online after Sarah claimed that she only bought the car because it came with a free umbrella, turning it into a viral symbol of excess and corruption debates.

Velasco added that the stress of owning the controversial cars made him reflect on himself more than usual.

“…the stress of us owning those Discaya cars made me look at myself, something i didn’t usually do. In silence i looked at my image in the mirror reflecting on what kind of a man did I become.… it’s been months hence purchasing those Discaya cars, 2 months of trying to keep silent. But then again, silence for me is dangerous,” he said.

The Glasswalk Heart

In the middle of the controversy, Velasco unveiled a new project—the ‘Glasswalk Heart,’ a heart-shaped glass walkway in Benguet. He describes the mirror as a simple but honest reflection of reality. The engineer said the walkway idea came from his habit of acting on thoughts he usually keeps to himself.

“A few days ago i found myself staring at a heart shaped glass walk mirroring the sunset. So there, i did it again, my habit of unconsciously realizing matters that should have been kept to heart. This time this is a heart shaped Glass walk. A symbol for us to navigate and not be afraid to walk thru the uncertainties and fears that burden our hearts,” he said.

Despite the controversy, Velasco said he continues to move forward with his projects. As construction and development of the new attraction continue, he remains focused on turning personal reflections into physical landmarks in Benguet’s growing tourism landscape.