Sandiganbayan orders Imelda Marcos’ arrest for graft raps

“The accused is given 30 days from today to explain why no judgment on the bonds should be issued. Let a warrant of arrest be issued against the accused.” (File Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA — The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against former First Lady and now Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Imelda Marcos following her conviction for seven counts of graft last week.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division ordered the bail bonds to be posted by Marcos for the graft cases be forfeited due to her and her counsel’s “unjustified” absence during the promulgation of judgment on her cases, in connection with the ill-gotten wealth during the regime of her late husband President Ferdinand Marcos.

“…The accused is given 30 days from today to explain why no judgment on the bonds should be issued. Let a warrant of arrest be issued against the accused,” the Sandiganbayan said in its order dated Nov.

9, 2018.

On Friday, the Sandiganbayan convicted Marcos of seven counts of graft due to her “financial interests and participation in the management of private foundations in Switzerland” when she served as a Cabinet official during her late husband’s term.

The anti-graft court also sentenced Marcos “to suffer the penalty of imprisonment of from six years and one month as minimum, up to 11 years as maximum for each count of the graft case filed against her.” She is also perpetually disqualified from holding any public post.

Assistant Special Prosecutor Ryan Quilala said the former First Lady would not be automatically imprisoned as she can still file an appeal before the Supreme Court.

The promulgation of the sentence took so long because majority of the witnesses are already dead, Quilala added.

Marcos, a former minister of Human Settlements, Metro Manila governor, and member of the Interim Batasan Pambansa, was prohibited by law to take part in such businesses.