Philippines court throws out US$3.9 billion Marcos family forfeiture case

Judges acknowledged the atrocities and plunder of state resources committed under the regime of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos

But they found insufficient evidence to order his family return any funds – ruling photocopied documents could not be used as evidence

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Late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, left, pictured with his wife Imelda in 1985. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:10pm, 16 Dec 2019Updated: 7:10pm, 16 Dec 2019

A court in the Philippines threw out a high-profile, 32-year-old forfeiture case on Monday involving the family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, citing insufficient evidence to order the return of US$3.9 billion of allegedly ill-gotten wealth.

The country’s anti-corruption court decided in favour of the Marcos family for the fourth time since August, with judges ruling that photocopied documents could not be used as evidence, so the case would not proceed.

It has been referred to widely as the “mother” of cases in a three-decade effort by a special presidential panel to recover an estimated US$10 billion Marcos and his family are accused of siphoning off as they lived lavishly during his 20 years in power, 14 of which were ruled under martial law.

The case lodged by the Presidential Commission on Good Government had sought the return of 200 billion pesos (US$3.95 billion) it said was tied up in equities, numerous local and foreign banks and real estate at home and in the United States and Britain.

Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos tours her famous shoe collection in this 2001 file picture. Photo: AFP

It also included the value of 177 paintings and 42 crates of jewellery worth nearly US$9 million.