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PCGG vows to sell Marcos jewelries within the year


Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) acting chairperson Reynold Munsayac on Tuesday vowed to sell the multi-million dollar jewelries seized from the family of graft convict and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos within the year following the green light it received from President Rodrigo Duterte.

"PCGG will exert all effort to complete the auction within the year but it will also ensure that the proper disposal guidelines are followed," Munsayac said in a statement.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has said the Office of the President has sent communication to the PCGG on Duterte's approval to the proposed auction of the jewelry collections estimated to be worth around $45 million. 

Munsayac said his agency already received the memorandum of Medialdea, saying the PCGG will coordinate with other agencies to facilitate the proper disposal of the ill-gotten jewelry.

"The PCGG confirms that it already received the Memorandum from the Office of the Executive Secretary allowing the sale of the Marcos jewelry collections. PCGG will abide by the instructions of the Executive Secretary and coordinate with the agencies concerned to assure the public that the disposal process will be in accordance with law and established rules," Munsayac said.

The Marcos jewelries are currently kept in the vault of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and is divided into three collections -- the Malacañang Collection, Roumeliotes Collection, and the Hawaii collection.

The Commission on Audit recently said the sale of jewelries only await the approval of Duterte. It said the disposal of the assets would augment the budgetary requirement of the government's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. 

On Monday, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Marcoses may bid for the ill-gotten jewelry even as the Palace vowed to block any attempt from the Marcos family if they would try to prevent the public auction from pushing through.

Duterte is a political ally of the Marcoses but Panelo said the President “will continue to govern the country with public welfare and national interest foremost in his mind.” —LDF, GMA News

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