Imee Marcos laments ‘painful’ wait for ill-gotten wealth case dismissal

Members of the Marcos family on Oct. 16, 2018. INQUIRER.NET / RYAN LEAGOGO

MANILA, Philippines — Although pleased by the Sandiganbayan’s junking of the P276-million ill-gotten wealth case against her family, Sen. Imee Marcos lamented the 37 long years they had to endure waiting for its resolution.

“Nagpapasalamat ako pero napakatagal naman,” Marcos said at the Pandesal Forum in Quezon City on Thursday.

(I am grateful, but it took so long.)

“Thirty-eight years namang naghintay at nakita naman natin kulang-kulang ang katibayan,” she added.

(We’ve waited for thirty-eight years, and we’ve seen that the evidence is lacking.)

The case was filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Government on July 21, 1987 against the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., his widow former first lady Imelda Marcos, and an alleged crony, Roman Cruz Jr.

Sen. Imee Marcos  (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

In Civil Case No. 006, the first couple was accused of using Cruz to purchase parcels of land supposedly through ill-gotten wealth. But the Sandiganbayan dismissed the case due to inordinate delay.

READ: Sandiganbayan drops P276-M civil case vs Marcos estate due to delay

In its  resolution, the court also cited a provision in the 1987 Constitution that states that all persons have the right to “a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.”

Still, Sen. Marcos said the family was very pleased by the court’s decision.

“Although the long delay of course has been very difficult and painful for my family,” the senator added.