Imee believes Duterte can end ‘decades-old cases vs Marcoses’

FILE: Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos (Photo by Imee Marcos – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA — While there are still no negotiations regarding the purported plan to return the Marcos wealth to the government, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Thursday expressed trust in President Rodrigo Duterte that he will help end the decades of cases against the Marcoses.

“Wala pa, wala pa. Tiwala kami sa president, na siya ang makakapagtapos ng deka-dekadang kaso,” Marcos said in an ambush interview on the sidelines of the House of Representatives’ inquiry into the alleged irregular procurement of PHP66.45 million worth of vehicles by the Ilocos Norte government.

Marcos said the family’s lawyers will be the ones handling the supposed negotiation with the Philippine government in handing over part of their wealth amassed during the 14-year dictatorship of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

“’Yung pamilya nag-uusap pa, pero nasa kamay ng mga abugado… Pag-usapan na lang ng mga abugado,” Marcos said.

On Tuesday, President Duterte said that the Marcos family is willing to “open everything” and “return” to the government some wealth in question, including a few gold bars.

“The Marcoses — I will not name the spokesman — sabi nila na they’ll open everything and probably return ‘yung nakita lang,” Duterte said.

“Sabi nila na, ‘malaki ang deficit mo sa… maybe this year, ang projected deficit spending would be big,’ sabi niya. Baka makatulong. Pero hindi ito malaki,” he added.

The President likewise said that an explanation was given by the Marcoses for the wealth in question and that he was accepting it.

“And the only reason really was sabi nila, that the father was protecting the economy. Now, of course, the eventual kung maalis siya. But he was thought of regaining the Malacañan and that is why ganito ang lumabas. Parang naitago,” he said.

“I will accept the explanation, whether or not it is true, wala na eh. And they are ready to return. How much, they would give me an accounting,” Duterte said. (PNA)