IN DATA: Where we are now in the Marcos multibillion-peso case
By August 2019, 20 forfeiture cases against the Marcos family have been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan. For more than 30 years of being established, the Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG) failed to obtain substantial evidence, thus multiple multibillion-cases against Marcos, his family, and his cronies are being dismissed. Recorded as world’s greatest robbery of a government in the Guinness World Records, this is where we’re left off in pursuit of the long-sought justice.
- ₱13.8 billion – Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF)-14 holding companies
- ₱141.9 million – total worth of former National Bureau of Investigation director Jolly Bugarin’s properties
- ₱26 million – Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Co. (BASECO) assets and profits
- ₱21.2 million – remittances of rental of various properties by PCGG and the Independent Realty Corp (IRC), which was surrendered to the government by Marcos crony Jose Yao Campos
- ₱19.3 million – profit from San Miguel Corporation (SMC) given to its shareholders
- ₱10 billion – total funds from Swiss Bank Accounts that will be set aside for Martial Law victims; in line with the Republic Act 10368, or Human Rights Victims Reparation Act.
- ₱93.747 billion – recognized and accounted coco levy (accumulated tax from coconut farmers) profits.
This includes:
- ₱74.709 billion – cash redemption value of shares, interest of profits, and assets given to shareholders of San Miguel Corporation.
- “Only for the ultimate benefit of millions of our coconut farmers nationwide and for the development of the coconut industry” -PCGG; on the future use of recovered coco levy funds.
- ₱78.1 billion – total funds remitted to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). from 1897-2015.
The Hunt
- The PCGG was the very first executive order issued by President Cory Aquino (1986).
- PCGG was given the power to sequester any assets related to the case, and to recover
Hence, the PCGG is also tasked to remit its recoveries to National treasury and CARP.
Current tally of pending cases (As of December 31, 2018)
- 234 civil cases (includes cases filed Sandiganbayan, Metropolitan Trial Court, Regional Trial Court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court)
- 40 criminal cases (includes behest loans and other criminal cases)
- 3 foreign cases (2 from USA, 1 from Switzerland)
- 7 other related cases
The 30-year long battle: Where we are now
While 20 cases have been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan, 21 cases are still pending. These cases include:
- Civil Case No. 0034 – a case sought to claim P102 billion worth of moral and exemplary damages from Marcos, Imelda, and 11 of their cronies; dismissed by the anti-graft court’s Second Division that was decided on August 5.
- Civil Case No. 0002 – a case focused on recovering P200 billion worth of ill-gotten wealth during Marcos’ Martial Law period from Imelda Marcos and her children, Imee, Bongbong, and Irene; pending before the Fourth Division, then got submitted for decision on August 2018.
- Civil Case No. 0141 – a case on the recovery of properties from the Marcos family worth billions of dollars that was bought through ill-gotten wealth during the Martial Law period.
The verdict
“Wherefore, premises considered, for failure of the plaintiff to prove by preponderance of evidence any of the cause of action against the defendants Ferdinand E. Marcos, Imelda Marcos, Rafael Sison, Placido Mapa, Jr., Ramon Monzon, Generosa C. Olazo, Cynthia Cheong, Ma. Luisa E. Nograles, Leopolda Vergara, Jose L. Africa and Rodolfo Arambulo, the case against them is hereby dismissed.”
– Sandiganbayan’s ruling on Civil Case No. 0034, after the PCGG “miserably failed” to present evidence against the Marcoses.
The search continues
While we leave the long, arduous court battles to the justice system – the least we, as Filipinos, could do is to remember what we are owed. For how many times we have joined hands and fought to take back what’s ours – what’s so different now?
In commemoration of one of the darkest days in Philippine history, may each Filipino open their eyes and conquer the present, so as not to fall victim in the mistakes of the past.
