Duterte urged: Pursue Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth

INTIMATE WHISPERS In Malacañang, President Duterte listens closely to Satur Ocampo. FILE/ MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Activist and former politician Satur Ocampo on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte should push the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to pursue the Marcos family’s ill-gotten wealth.

While Duterte has had good relations with the Marcoses, especially former senator Bongbong Marcos, Ocampo said Duterte might want to consider using the stolen money for government projects.

“Importante mabawi n’ya ang yamang iyon para magamit n’ya sa implementation ng projects para sa mga mahihirap na mamamayan at pagpapaunlad ng ekonomya,” Ocampo told INQUIRER.net.

(It is important that he retrieve the money so that it can be used for the implementation of the projects for poor citizens and for the development of the economy.)

READ: ‘From hidden wealth to hidden burial: Marcoses disrespecting law’—Leni

Ocampo said Duterte knew from the very start that while he had a good relationship with militant groups, they remain critics of the Marcos family.

READ: Leftists Taguiwalo, Maza won’t resign from Cabinet

“Ngayon meron kaming concrete basis para i-reiterate in stronger terms ‘yung aming opposition at [linawin] sa kanya ‘yung kamalian ng kanyang ginawa kasi binigyan talaga n’ya ng tungtungan ang mga Marcoses,” he said.

(Now we have a concrete basis to reiterate in stronger terms our opposition and to clarify to him why he was wrong in giving the Marcoses the upperhand.)

Ocampo said Duterte told martial law victims like him to just file cases, but they can’t sue former president Ferdinand Marcos anymore because he is already dead.

“Pero dito sa issue ng ill-gotten wealth, on record sa several cases na pinu-pursue ng PCGG, si Imelda at Bongbong ino-oppose. So maliwanag na meron silang (involvement),” he said, adding that Marcos daughter Imee also has secret bank accounts.

(But in the issue of ill-gotten wealth, on record are the cases being pursued by the PCGG which Imelda and Bongbong have been opposing, so it is clear that they are involved.)

Militant groups have been holding rallies and calling for Duterte’s accountability for the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. IDL

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