President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo from an RTVM video)
Malacañang assured the public on Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte was studying “how to best proceed” with the plan of the Marcos family to return part of its alleged ill-gotten wealth, including the gold bars.
Duterte on Tuesday disclosed that the Marcoses, who allegedly amassed up to $10 billion in ill-gotten wealth, were willing to return to the Philippine government part of their wealth being questioned.
READ: Duterte: Marcos family willing to open, return ‘wealth in question’
The President said he had been in touch with a spokesperson for the Marcos family. He, however, did not identify the spokesman.
“We understand that certain parties have indicated to the President that there may be an opportunity for the assets of the Marcos family to be turned over to the Republic,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
Critics have cast doubt that the Marcoses would be “willing to open” and “return” to the government their alleged ill-gotten wealth.
The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang (CARMMA) has slammed the Chief Executive, saying he now “facilitates the exemption of the Marcos heirs from accountability and punishment.”
But Malacañang has earlier said Duterte was not acting as a spokesman of the Marcos family, saying he only wanted transparency.
“The President is studying how best to proceed in a manner that will advance the nation’s interest and comply with the law. As this matter becomes clearer, we will advise what further action will be taken to finally obtain justice,” Abella said.
“As this matter becomes clearer, we will advise what further action will be taken to finally obtain justice,” he added.
As of 2016, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) had recovered some P170 billion in ill-gotten wealth from the Marcoses and their cronies. JPV