Former senator disputes Imee’s ‘innocence’ claim

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Rene Saguisag on Wednesday bemoaned the irony that in the Philippines, a government official who steals a million pesos is likely to be disqualified from holding office, while a family of “kleptocrats” can return to government.

Referring to the Marcoses, Saguisag said “a family of kleptocrats infecting various official posts [is] an anomaly in the law.”

The former senator was responding to Sen. Imee Marcos’ comment that the recent Sandiganbayan decision to junk the forfeiture case against the Marcoses was proof of their innocence.

Saguisag disputed this.

“On July 15, 2003, the Supreme Court ordered them to return billions in Swiss deposits ruled to be ill-gotten wealth. Done. That is why many human rights victims have been compensated,” he said.

The Sandiganbayan dismissed on Tuesday a P1.052-billion forfeiture case against the Marcos family and their associates, the Tantoco couple. —Patricia Denise M. Chiu