Sporadic talks ongoing for settlement of Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth cases, Bongbong says

Talks as regards the Marcos family's plan to settle with the Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte  continue although they happen only occasionally, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.  said on Thursday.

The defeated vice presidential candidate made the remark weeks after Duterte announced that the heirs of the late dictator have sent word that they were willing to turn over allegedly ill-gotten wealth to the government.

Duterte said that the Marcoses might expect some form of immunity from suit following the return of the supposed loot.

"Sporadically, I think. I don't think there's a weekly meeting or anything like that," Marcos said when asked if the discussions as regards the settlement were ongoing.

Marcos said their family had already identified their pieces of property and will even assist the government in looking for any other wealth they may have.

And whatever they find, they can have, he said.

"I am expressing the same position the family has held since 1986: that we have identified whatever belongs to the family, the provenance of those assets, those properties, whatever they might be, and if the government is saying na may tinatago pa kami, we will help you find it, and you can have it," Marcos said.

"Quitclaim nga eh," he added.

Marcos said no agreement had been reached regarding the return of the alleged ill-gotten wealth since Duterte announced the supposed plan.

"Nothing substantial has been decided yet, even the process, who will be involved, etc., hindi pa masyado..." Marcos said in a forum in Quezon City, though he said he thinks their lawyers may have had preliminary discussions on the matter.

Marcos said members of the family were no longer parties in the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)'s efforts to recover alleged ill-gotten wealth.

"The Marcos family...we are not parties anymore to the...all of yung ginagawa ng PCGG, it's already with the government," he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte in August said the family of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos had expressed willingness to return alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Two days after Duterte's statement, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos said there were no negotiations on the matter yet.

Marcos in the forum said his family has long wanted to settle the issue of their alleged ill-gotten wealth, claiming they have issued a quitclaim deed since the administration of former president Fidel Ramos.

"We have issued that quitclaim since the Ramos administration. In fact, we had already signed an agreement on that basis with then-chairman Gunigundo, who was then chairman of the PCGG, pero ayaw lang ni Ramos," Marcos said.

"That has been the consistent position of the family, and I think that's what Gov. Imee expressed to the president. Ganun pa rin, we're always willing to settle. Pag-usapan natin, ano bang pwedeng gawin para matapos na ito," he added.

Pressed for details, the former senator and vice presidential candidate said he was not privy to conversations on the issue. —NB, GMA News