MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan has dismissed another civil case against the late dictator, former president Ferdinand Marcos, and his family, where P200 billion worth of alleged ill-gotten wealth was involved.
In its 58-page decision, the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division dismissed the forfeiture case due to the inability of the prosecution to prove the allegations against the Marcoses.
The case was filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), against Marcos children Senator Imee Marcos, Irene Marcos-Araneta, and former Senator Bongbong Marcos, in an attempt to recover at least P200 billion allegedly purloined from public coffers during their father’s over two-decade rule.
“Wherefore, premises considered, for failure of the plaintiff to prove its allegations by preponderance of evidence, the subject Complaint filed against defendants Estate of Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda R. Marcos, Imelda R. Marcos Manotoc, Irene R. Marcos Araneta, Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and Constante Rubio is hearby dismissed,” the court said.
“Similarly, the respective counterclaims of the said defendants are dismissed for their failure to prove the same by preponderance of evidence,” the decision, penned by Fourth Division chair, Associate Justice Alex Quiroz, stated.
Concurring in the decision were Associate Justices Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega and Maryann Corpus-Mañalac.
Just this July, Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses has voluntarily inhibited from the case, after the Marcoses sought to remove him from hearing the case.
The Marcos family maintained that they did not steal anything.