ANOTHER ill-gotten wealth case against the family of President Marcos Jr. is nearing conclusion, more than 35 years since it was filed at the Sandiganbayan.
Manuel Plaza, counsel for Marcos Jr., manifested in open court yesterday that the President is adopting all the evidence presented by his co-respondents in Civil Case No. 0014.
At the prompting of Second Division chairperson Associate Justice Oscar C. Herrera Jr., the lawyer said Marcos has no other evidence to present and is resting his case.
The case, filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) way back July 23, 1987, seeks recovery of ill-gotten wealth allegedly amassed by defendants Modesto Enriquez, Trinidad Diaz Enriquez, Rebecco Panlilio, Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio, and Leandro Enriquez.
The PCGG said they took advantage of their connection to then President Ferdinand E. Marcos and First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos to acquire ownership and control of various corporations with favorable loans from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
Also named were former GSIS president Roman Cruz Jr. and DBP vice chairman Don Ferry.
The PCGG is seeking forfeiture in favor of the government of assets valued at around P581.304 million as well as payment of damages.
Other than the President, also expected to present their evidence are Marcos’ widow Imelda Marcos and her daughters Sen. Ma. Imelda “Imee” Marcos, and Irene Marcos-Araneta. The Marcos children were named substitute defendants following the death of their father in 1989.
The Marcoses are given until October 6, 2022 to present their evidence.
Based on case records, the government completed its presentation of evidence on September 11, 2018.
While the Marcoses were previously barred from presenting evidence after being declared in default for failure to file their respective answers to the complaint, the Sandiganbayan later lifted the default ruling and allowed the family to participate in the proceedings.
Government lawyers notified the Sandiganbayan that they intend to move that the Marcoses be deemed to have waived their rights to present evidence unless they present their evidence based on the court’s timetable.
