President Rodrigo Duterte witnessed on Monday the destruction of smuggled luxury vehicles and motorbikes worth nearly P300 million at Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.

Two bulldozers wrecked a total of 68 contraband luxury vehicles with an estimated value of more than P277 million, and eight smuggled Harley Davidson, Triumph, and Chopper motorcycles worth more than P19 million.

In his speech during the event, Duterte said the destruction of the vehicles was part of the government's efforts to address corruption.

"Whatever you'd say, there's still corruption. I cannot finish it in one day," he said.

Duterte said he ordered the destruction of the contrabands "because you have to show to the world that you have a viable place of investment and business."

"And the only way to show it is that you are productive and that you have the economy to absorb the productivity of the population. The life source, the source of government funding is taxes. No other else. We cannot print money beyond our value as a nation," Duterte added.

Duterte previously witnessed similar wrecking of smuggled vehicles in other ports in the country.

In the same speech, Duterte urged the opposition to set aside politics.

"You yellows, also all of us, set aside politics," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS