Atienza says Imelda told him they have 7,000 tons of gold bars

A party-list lawmaker on Wednesday said that former First Lady and now Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos personally told him that her family possesses an estimated 7,000 tons' worth of gold bars.

Former Manila mayor and now BUHAY party-list Representative Lito Atienza disclosed the information following President Rodrigo Duterte's statement that the family of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos expressed willingness to return part of the ill-gotten wealth they had amassed.

"When I was mayor, sinabi niya [Imelda] gusto kong ibalik 'yung gold dito, ibigay sa gobyerno para mapawi na lahat ng utang natin," he told reporters at a press conference.

"Sabi ko, why don't you do it? Sabi niya humahadlang ang isang superpower, hindi naman maigalaw ang gold. Nakadeposito sa maraming lugar sa buong mundo," he added.

Atienza said Marcos told him that the gold bars weighed 7,000 tons.

"Ilan ba ang estimate niyo sa gold na 'yan? Sabi niya ay 7,000 tons," he said.

"Seven thousand tons? Sana this time, makuha niya yung inaalok ni Mrs. Marcos nun. Kapag inaalok ngayon, ay mapakinabangan naman ng bansa ito," he added.

Atienza suggested the country not dwell on the issue anymore and just focus on retrieving the ill-gotten wealth.

"Kunin na lang natin 'yung ginto at magamit ng Pilipinas dahil you can even imagine the value of those gold bars which they claim they have," he said.

"I announced it in light of all these developments, and we wish President Duterte all the best. Sayang naman ang perang 'yan. Thirty-one years have passed and wala man lang na-prosecute," he added.

On Tuesday, Duterte said the Marcoses are willing to "open everything" and "probably return" the wealth that can be found.

“Sabi nila, isauli nila para walang ano—and the only reason, sabi nila, was the father was just protecting the economy for the [eventuality] na umalis siya. He thought of regaining the Malacañang, that is why ganito ang lumabas na parang naitago,” he added.

During his two-decade rule that started in 1965, former President Marcos managed to illegally amass an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion from government coffers. His family stashed them away in secret local and offshore accounts, or hid them through dummy foundations as well as cronies. — BM/KVD, GMA News@gmanews.tv>