15 paintings seized in NBI hunt for Marcos loot

(Updated 8:09 a.m., Oct. 1) At least 15 paintings believed to be part of the ill-gotten wealth of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' family were seized from an ancestral home of the former leader in San Juan City on Tuesday.

 

It took authorities seven hours to serve a writ of attachment from the Sandiganbayan for the paintings, GMA News' John Consulta reported on "24 Oras."

 

Taking part in the search were representatives from the National Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Solicitor General and Presidential Commission on Good Government.

 

On Monday, the anti-graft court had ordered the Marcos family to surrender eight paintings by European artists, which it said were illegally acquired using taxpayers' money.

 

In one room of the house, the team found many artworks believed to be part of the Marcos collection. Some of them were believed to be worth millions of pesos.

 

But the NBI officials doubted the authenticity of some of the paintings, saying there were indications they could just be copies.

 

Three more areas were searched, including houses and condominiums believed owned by the Marcoses, but they turned out negative.

 

In the meantime, the seized paintings were brought to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping.

A separate report by Reuters said among the artworks seized from an office and residences of former First Lady Imelda Marcos was a painting by Pablo Picasso.

"I am not sure if we found all eight paintings that the court is looking for, but, I am sure the Picasso is one of them," said Paul Lentejas, a counsel at PCGG.

The government has estimated that Marcos, his family, and cronies amassed more than $10 billion in cash, jewelry, assets, stocks and works of art during a 20-year rule. About half of this amount has been found and recovered. —Reports from Joel Locsin and Reuters/NB/KG, GMA News