Palace distances from junking of another Marcos ill-gotten wealth civil case

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang has kept its distance from the junking of another ill-gotten wealth case against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his first lady Imelda and their cronies.

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division has dismissed a P267-million ill-gotten wealth case against the Marcoses, their associates Fe Roa Gimenez and Ignacio Gimenez, and other cronies due to insufficiency of evidence.

This is the third case against the Marcoses to be dismissed this year.

But presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the administration would not meddle in the affairs of the judiciary and would always follow the rule of law.

“The Administration does not interfere with the judiciary. The rule of law must always prevail in courts regardless of who are the parties,” Panelo said in a statement Friday.

“Their decision must be accorded respect and obedience,” he added.

In August, the Sandiganbayan Second Division dismissed the P102-billion forfeiture case against the Marcoses in 1987, Roberto Benedicto and other cronies also due to insufficient evidence.

The antigraft court said the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the agency in charge of recovering the late dictator’s ill-gotten wealth and the plaintiff in the case, failed to prove its allegations that officials of Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), acting on orders of the Marcoses, extended loans to various shipping companies held by Marcos cronies.

Earlier this month, the same division also junked the P1.052-billion civil case against the Marcoses in 1989, former Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr. and some of his relatives due to insufficient evidence as well.

READ: 102-B forfeiture case vs Marcos, pals junked

READ: Sandiganbayan junks another ill-gotten wealth case vs. Marcoses