Imee: No negotiations yet on return of Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Thursday said there are no negotiations yet between her family and the government with regard to their reported willingness to return part of the ill gotten wealth they amassed during her father's 20-year rule.

"Wala pa, wala pa. Tiwala kami sa Presidente na siya ang makakapagtapos ng deka-dekadang kaso," Governor Marcos said in an ambush interview at the House of Representatives.

"Ang pamilya nag-uusap pa, subalit nasa kamay pa ng mga abogado," she added.

Governor Marcos was at the House of Representatives to attend the continuation of the congressional inquiry into the Ilocos Norte government's purchase of P66.45 million worth of motor vehicles supposedly using tobacco excise tax shares.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos is at the House to attend continuation of inquiry into P66.4-M purchase of motor vehicles. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/gshTZWmOsO

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) August 31, 2017

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Marcoses are willing to "open everything" and "probably return" the wealth that will be seen.

“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.

But when she was asked if there was indeed intention to return the illegally amassed wealth, Governor Marcos said: "Pag-usapan na lang ng ating mga abogado."

Former Manila mayor and now Buhay Party-list Representative Lito Atienza on Wednesday also claimed that former First Lady and now Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos had personally told him that her family possesses an estimated 7,000 tons of gold bars.

Governor Marcos, however, said she has no knowledge about the claim.

"Hindi ko alam. I think it’s best that the lawyers respond to all these queries," she said.

During his two-decade rule that started in 1965, former President Ferdinand Marcos allegedly managed to illegally amass an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion from government coffers.

His family allegedly stashed these away in secret local and offshore accounts, or hid them in dummy foundations as well as with cronies. —KG/KVD, GMA News