17/02/2026
IGOROT STONE KINGDOM FOUNDER ACQUIRES CONTROVERSIAL ROLLS-ROYCE, CITES βPRESERVING HISTORY'
BAGUIO CITY β The luxury vehicle once linked to controversy has found a new home in the mountains.
Pio Velasco, founder and chief executive officer of Igorot Stone Kingdom, personally inspected a Rolls-Royce recently acquired by the Baguio-based theme park. The high-end car was previously owned by the Discayas and had drawn public attention in past months after being associated with allegations that stirred national debate.
Velasco said the acquisition was intentional and symbolic.
βWe bought it to preserve history,β he said, referring to the vehicle as a reminder of a chapter many Filipinos have not forgotten. He described the Rolls-Royce as a symbol that once βopened the floodgates of corruption,β adding that keeping it visible could spark reflection rather than admiration.
The move has already generated buzz, with observers noting the contrast between the opulence of the British luxury brand and the cultural theme park rooted in Cordilleran identity and indigenous pride.
Founded in Baguio City, Igorot Stone Kingdom has positioned itself as a cultural landmark celebrating Igorot heritage. Velascoβs decision to acquire the high-profile vehicle signals a different kind of display, one that he suggests is more about public memory than prestige.
While details of the purchase were not disclosed, Velasco maintained that the carβs value now lies beyond its brand.
βItβs not just a luxury vehicle,β he said. βItβs a reminder.β
Whether the Rolls-Royce will be exhibited publicly or integrated into a broader historical narrative at the park remains to be announced. For now, the once-controversial car sits under new ownership and no longer merely a status symbol, but, according to its new custodian, a preserved artifact of a turbulent time.