The Sandiganbayan has ordered the turnover to the Philippine government of $42 million that was found to have been part of Ferdinand Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth and seized from his estate.
Arelma was a foundation created by the late dictator under Panamanian laws in 1972.
The high tribunal’s decision in March denied with finality separate motions for reconsideration against the the asset’s forfeiture filed by former First Lady and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda R. Marcos, and Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The court ordered acting chief judicial staff officer Albert A. dela Cruz to ensure the transfer of the entire $42 million from the Philippine National Bank, which is holding the funds in escrow, to the Bureau of Treasury .
According to an entry of judgment dated March 31, 2014, the Supreme Court ruling became final and executory prompting the Presidential Commission on Good Government to petition the Sandiganbayan for a writ of execution.
The PCGG filed the forfeiture petition in 1991 docketed as Civil Case No. 0141. Through the civil case, the government successfully recovered $660 million in Marcos ill-gotten wealth.
Government lawyers in 2004 filed a motion for a partial summary judgment over the Arelma account. Over objections by the Marcoses, the motion was granted by the Sandiganbayan on April 2, 2009.
The Marcoses appealed but the anti-graft court denied their motion for reconsideration on August 25, 2009.
The Marcos heirs took the case to the Supreme Court, which upheld the Sandiganbayan ruling on April 25, 2012 and on March 12, 2014.
The Sandiganbayan has yet to rule on the dispute over the so-called Malacañang jewelry collection, which is also covered by Civil Case no. 0141.
The court has ordered the collection forfeited in favor of the government in January but the Marcoses filed an appeal. —NB, GMA News
