Lagman: Even sans imprisonment, Imelda’s graft conviction ends ‘impunity’ for Marcoses

The Sandiganbayan may have found Former First Lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos guilty of graft, but the question as to whether or not the 89-year-old will spend time behind bars has yet to be answered.

As far as Albay Representative Edcel Lagman is concerned, the conviction of the widow of the late strongman former President Ferdinand Marcos is good enough "even without an immediate imprisonment due to the availability of appeal."

"Even without an immediate imprisonment due to the availability of appeal, the conviction puts an end to impunity for the Marcoses," the lawmaker said in a statement on Saturday.

"Conviction is an indelible ascertainment of culpability, while imprisonment is an imposition of a penal sanction, the deferment or non-service of which does not diminish guilt," he added.

The Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division found Marcos guilty for seven counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with her alleged financial interests in Swiss-based foundation.

She was sentenced to a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum prison sentence of 11 years "for each count" of graft.

Marcos, however, had said her counsel is considering filing a motion for reconsideration of the anti-graft court's decision.

‘Judicial confirmation’

In his statement, Lagman said the graft conviction against Marcos serves as "another judicial confirmation of the inordinate corruption perpetrated during the martial law regime by the Marcos family and its cronies."

The lawmaker also argued that plunder committed by the Marcos family during the martial law regime had been repeatedly "recognized" and "validated" by no less than the Supreme Court (SC).

Lagman cited three High Court decisions, including the SC's barring of the dictator and his immediate family from returning to the Philippines in 1989 and the forfeiting of the then-First Family's allegedly ill-gotten assets.

"The validity and efficacy of the foregoing court rulings are final and unassailable that the Marcoses were plunderers who pillaged the country’s coffers," Lagman said. — Margaret Claire Layug/MDM, GMA News