Imelda Marcos acquitted in graft case filed 13 years ago

An anti-graft court on Friday acquitted former First Lady Imelda Marcos and her deputy in one of at least 75 remaining corruption cases against the flamboyant widow of a former dictator, officials said. In a criminal case filed more than a decade ago, Imelda Marcos and Jose Conrado Benitez were accused of pocketing money from housing and realty business transactions through a private foundation they set up in 1977, when Imelda Marcos was minister of human settlements. "I thank the Lord for my acquittal," Marcos said after the court handed down its ruling. "They know now what the truth is and who the real thieves are not the Marcoses." In a jab at the government, former President Ferdinand Marcos' widow called for an audit of the budgets and performances of all governments that succeeded her husband after he was toppled in a 1986 popular uprising, ending his 20-year rule. Maria Teresa Pabulayan, the court's clerk, said the charges against Marcos were not proven. Marcos' lawyer Robert Sison said the prosecution failed to show Marcos made any financial gain from the foundation, which she said helped the poor. The Marcoses have denied any wrongdoing. A teary-eyed Imelda Marcos recalled her husband's advice while he was dying in exile in Hawaii: "He said, 'Fear not Imelda, because truth is like diamond. The more you chop it, the more brilliant it will become.'" After the ruling, Marcos, with a throng of photographers in tow, prayed at a nearby church and handed out money to street vendors. Marcos, a wealthy socialite who gained fame for her diamond-encrusted tiaras and 1,220 pairs of shoes, had faced more than 900 criminal and civil lawsuits, but the number has been reduced to 50 criminal cases and 25 civil cases, her lawyer said. Many of the criminal cases were dismissed, he said. The government has recovered about 80 billion pesos (US$1.5 billion) in cash and assets from the Marcoses and their associates over two decades, including Swiss bank deposits now worth about US$680 million. Ricardo Abcede, in charge of a commission recovering the Marcoses' wealth, said about 220 billion pesos (US$4.2 billion) worth of assets are tied up in criminal and civil cases in the Philippines against the Marcoses and their cronies. The total amount of the Marcoses' assets abroad is unknown. The acquital of Marcos drew flak from Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo. "The acquittal of Imelda Marcos by the Sandiganbayan indicates weak prosecution effort - or lack of political will of the government - to convict her. We in Bayan Muna are opposed to any compromise agreement with Imelda," the militant lawmaker said. No conflict of interest Prosecution witnesses testified that Marcos sat as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the foundation while Benitez held the position of president or director general. The court however ruled that the foundation was a "non-stock and non-profit" entity hence there was no conflict of interest. Although TRCFI made investments in real estate by leasing alnds and building and selling townhouses, the Sandiganbayan noted that the money raised did not go into the pockets of foundation officials. Rather, as defense witness Arthur Aguila told the court, the funds went into such projects as raising hybrid tilapia and researching alternative power sources in rural communities. "The Foundation cannot be held to have been in the realty and housing businesses as charged. As disclosed by evidence, it had technology transfer projects as its principal concern or occupation basically aimed at addressing human settlement issues," the court held. "The essential elements of the offense charged have not been proven, the projects in question not being ‘businesses’ in contemplation of law," it added. Marcos, after the promulgation, said that her acquittal was based on the merits of her defense and not due to some favor from the administration. "I believe in the courage and integrity of our courts," she told reporters. Purple terno The widow of the late President Ferdinand Marcos came to court in a purple terno highlighted by a silk floral scarf, a two-inch high stilleto shoes and emerald brooch and earrings. She was flanked by defense lawyers Robert Sison and Benjamin Santos and two personal medical attendants. Marcos arrived in court visibly tensed and refused to issue any comments before the start of the hearing. She scattered nods and tight smiles to inquiries from the media about how she was feeling. After lawyer Teresita Pabulayan, Fifth Division clerk of court, read the verdict of acquittal, Marcos supporters in the audience applauded noisily as the former First Lady wept - GMANews.TV with a report from AP