SC in judiciary's budget hearing: 10 ill-gotten wealth cases vs. Marcoses, associates still pending

There are at least 10 ill-gotten wealth cases involving the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., his family and their associates, Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta told the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday.

At the hearing of the judiciary's proposed P65-billion budget for 2026, Estoesta replied to the question by human rights lawyer and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno about the number of ill-gotten wealth cases that were filed in 1987 and have been pending for 39 years.

“ It is true that there are still existing cases," Estoesta said.

The PCGG is the Presidential Commission on Good Government, which is constitutionally mandated to recover the ill-gotten wealth of former President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., members of his family, and their associates.

Estoesta said that the limited scope of appeals, as well as the prosecution’s shortcomings in putting forward evidence, are some of the causes of the delayed resolution.

“It is not the only reason it has not moved, your honor...but because in that particular instance, if I can cite it, there were actually three partial judgments rendered and only because they've answered a particular issue and then the usual appeal process will go,” Estoesta said.

“But in so far as the other properties subject to the sequestration are concerned, there is no particular presentation of evidence on the part of the prosecution, which is why it may probably have appeared to have taken a little delay,” she added.

Just last March, the Sandiganbayan dismissed a P5 million ill-gotten wealth case against the late President Marcos, Sr., and his wife, Imelda, due to the prosecution's "unexplained inaction for decades."

Civil Case 0032 alleged that the Marcos couple and a certain Fernando Timbol unlawfully acquired vehicles and household appliances, which should be returned to the government. –NB, GMA Integrated News