Agents raid Marcos Museum but fail to find Michaelangelo, Picasso paintings

This file photo taken on June 7, 2007 shows former first lady Imelda Marcos is seen in her apartment in Manila with a gallery of paintings including a Picasso, seen at upper right. Philippine authorities moved on September 30, 2014 to seize paintings by Picasso, Gauguin, Miro, Michelangelo and other masters held by Imelda Marcos after getting a court order against the former first lady. AFP/ROMEO GACAD

MANILA, Philippines—Authorities swooped down Friday on the Marcos Museum in Batac City, Ilocos Norte to confiscate eight paintings, including Michaelangelo’s Madonna and Child and Pablo Picasso’s Femme Couche VI, that the Sandiganbayan ordered seized, a radio report said.

Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG) raided the museum around  10 a.m., the report said, but failed to find the expensive paintings.

The Sandiganbayan last week ordered the seizure of the eight paintings it said are part of the Marcos family’s ill-gotten wealth.

Subject to forfeiture are the following artworks:

• LaBaignade Au Grand Temps by Pierre Bonnard
• Madonna and Child by Michelangelo Buonarroti
• Vase of Red Chrysanthemums by Bernard Buffet
• Still Life with Idol by Paul Gauguin
• Portrait of the Marqueza de Sta. Cruz by Francisco de Goya
• L但ube by Joan Miro
• Femme Couche VI (Reclining Woman VI) by Pablo Picasso
• Jardin de Kew pres de la Serre 1892 by Camille Pissarro

However, after an hour of search inside the museum, no paintings were found except for  the family portraits of the Marcoses.

The staff of Ilocos Norte second district Representative Imelda Marcos were present during the raid.

On Tuesday, the NBI and PCGG seized the painting collections of the Marcoses in their San Juan residence.

INQUIRER.net tried to contact the camp of the Marcoses but has not responded yet.

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