Palace respects court’s verdict on Marcos forfeiture case

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the executive will let its co-equal branch, the judiciary, to exercise its independence. (File Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Friday said it respects the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division’s move to dismiss the forfeiture of an estimated PHP267.371 million ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses allegedly obtained through their cronies.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the executive will let its co-equal branch, the judiciary, to exercise its independence.

“The Administration does not interfere with the judiciary,” the Palace official said.

“The rule of law must always prevail in courts regardless of who are the parties. Their decision must be accorded respect and obedience,” he added.

Panelo’s statement came after the Sandiganbayan junked the third civil case against former President Ferdinand Marcos; his wife, Imelda; and spouses Fe and Ignacio Gimenez.

On July 21, 1987, the Presidential Commission on Good Government and the Office of the Solicitor General filed a complaint about Reconveyance, Reversion, Accounting, Restitution and Damages against the Marcos and Gimenez couples.

The Gimenez couple were allegedly “close business associates” of the Marcoses.

Fe was accused of unlawful transfer of millions of dollars of government funds into several accounts in her name in foreign countries. She also allegedly acted as a conduit for the Marcos family in purchasing expensive works of art and other properties in the United States.

Fe’s husband, Ignacio, was allegedly a dummy of the Marcoses in certain corporations.

The Sandiganbayan, in a decision dated Oct. 14, junked the civil case due to insufficient evidence.

The anti-graft court ruled that there were “defects” in the pieces of evidence against the respondents.

”It is apparent that the defects in the pieces of evidence that were presented by the Republic prevent it from successfully pursuing the present civil forfeiture case,” the Sandiganbayan said.