SANDIGANBAYAN DISMISSES THE P276 MILLION ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH CASE AGAINST MARCOSES

The 37-year-old P276-million ill-gotten wealth case against the Marcos family and their alleged crony Roman Cruz, has been dismissed by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan citing the “inordinate delay” in pursuing the case on the part of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

The Sandiganbayan junked the P276-million wealth forfeiture case against the Marcos family due to "inordinate delay" (Photo courtesy of Malacanang Photo Library)

“Scrutiny of the chronology of events in this case shows a plethora of motions for extension filed due to unpreparedness or lack of witnesses/documentary evidence, aside from pending incidents, and scheduled pre-trial cancellations contributing to inordinate delay.”

According to the court, defendants can no longer be afforded a fair trial as most of their potential witnesses may have died and their documentary evidence may no longer be located due to the 37-year pendency of the case since it was filed in 1987.

“Considering that the extant living defendant is 95 years old (Imelda Marcos) her ability to testify and recall the events has assuredly declined, as has her health,” the court’s Second Division said.

It added that President Marcos Jr., Sen. Imee Marcos and Irene Marcos-Araneta cannot competently testify on the matter as they were minors during the supposed illegal transactions involving the Pinugay Estate around 53 years ago.

The PCGG filed the case on July 21, 1987, seeking to recover the forfeiture of P276 million worth of properties allegedly illegally acquired by the Marcos spouses during martial law, a P50-billion award in moral damages, and P1 billion in exemplary damages.

The properties involved included two lots and two condominium units in Baguio City, a residential lot in Manila, and a residential building in Makati as well as a parcel of land and six condominium units in California.

In 2023, the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division also dismissed a case that stemmed for alleged reversion, reconveyance, and accounting against Marcos and others (Civil Case No. 0024) as well as another PCGG case seeking to recover assets and properties owned by alleged dummies (Civil Case No. 0014).

Both cases were junked for failing to provide pieces of evidence to back their claims against the Marcoses.A total of 28 criminal cases and 43 civil and forfeiture cases were filed against Imelda — who had been found guilty of 7 counts of graft in 2018 — at the anti-graft court from 1986 to 1995.

Source: Philippine News Agency 

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