Sandigan grants deposition-taking of ex-BSP governor on NY 'Philippine Townhouse'

The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday granted the government's petition to order former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Jaime Laya to provide a testimony on the "Philippine Townhouse" in New York City allegedly converted by former first lady Imelda Marcos for her personal use.

In a one-page order, the Sandiganbayan's Special Division ordered the issuance of a subpoena to Laya for him to make an out-of-court testimony in his office at the Philtrust Bank Building in Manila, at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 12.

In its petition, the government represented by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Solicitor General, said that Laya had access to the "Philippine Townhouse" at 13-15 East 66th Street in Manhattan, New York.

"He was sometimes invited by Mrs. Imelda Marcos to the property...," the petition said.

It added: "That during these visits, he was able to see and identify several valuable paintings held in possession by the Marcoses on display in the Philippine Townhouse."

The government also said in the petition that Laya can testify that Mrs. Marcos, representative of Ilocos Norte's 2nd District, "converted" the townhouse "for her personal use."

The anti-graft court authorized the Division Clerk of Court to supervise the deposition-taking.

The petition is part of the government's efforts to locate 200 high-value pieces of artwork acquired by the Marcos family while late strongman, Ferdinand Marcos, was in power.

The PCGG had announced that it will launch a website to crowd-source tips on the whereabouts of the pieces of art including paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rembrandt. —ALG, GMA News