US returns to PHL $132K in forfeited assets of Ligot wife

(Updated 3:25 p.m.) The United States on Thursday turned over to the Philippines a $132,000 (roughly P5.6 million) check representing the proceeds from the sale of a property forfeited from Erlinda Tecson Yambao Ligot, wife of former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot. The forfeiture and sale of the property in California stemmed from the Philippines' request to the United States in 2009, US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. said. "I am pleased to announce the first ever return of funds in the asset forfeiture case, where the US government is returning $132,000 dollars to the Philippine government. This is a result of a 2009 request for real estate transaction for assets belonging to the wife of former comptroller Jacinto Ligot," Thomas announced at the Department of Justice (DOJ) office in Manila. "We know this is the first of several cases that we will be able to cooperate with the Filipino government," he added. Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima received the $132,000 check from Thomas. At a separate news briefing, De Lima said she will turn over the amount to the Philippines' national treasury. "It is such a proud moment for us to be able to return to the national coffers a part of what has been plundered from it," said De Lima. It was De Lima who met with Thomas because the DOJ is the central authority of the Republic of the Philippines under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with the United States. Buena Park property The property forfeited was a house at 7102 Stanton Avenue, Buena Park, in California. It was bought for $599,500 in June 2004 and was registered under the name of Erlinda Tecson Yambao Ligot. In 2005, then Philippine Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo filed a forfeiture case against the Ligot couple before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. It was later learned that the Ligots allegedly transferred their funds and assets to the US to avoid prosecution. The Ombudsman then asked the help of he US Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which informed the Ombudsman of the existence of the Buena Park property. US authorities then held administrative proceedings, which resulted in the forfeiture of the house that same year. The property was sold for $132,000. The Office of the Ombudsman in 2009, now under the leadership of Merceditas Gutierrez, learned of the successful forfeiture and sale of the Buena Park property. The office then asked the US to turn over the proceeds to Philippine coffers. The DOJ made the request to the US government, under the auspices of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. On Thursday, De Lima acknowledged how the treaty helped in the forfeiture and sale of the property. "The turnover today of the check representing the proceeds of the sale is a landmark event in Philippine history, for this is the very first time that any foreign country, pursuant to any MLAT, has ever returned to the Philippines the proceeds of ill-gotten wealth, and corruption," she said. The Ligot couple is accused of accumulating ill-gotten wealth. The Ligots allegedly have several properties in the United States, but Jacinto and Erlinda Ligot have repeatedly denied being involved in anomalies and corrupt practices. P428-M tax evasion charges On Wednesday, the Ligot couple attended a preliminary investigation hearing on the P428-million tax evasion charges filed against them. After the preliminary investigation hearing on the complaint, the couple's legal counsel, Rafael Zialcita, said that Assistant State Prosecutor Stewart Mariano gave them 10 more days to prepare their counter-affidavit on the BIR's tax evasion suit. "We asked for an extension, and we were given 10 more days to file our counter-affidavit. There was no objection on the part of the BIR. We didn't have sufficient time to come up with a counter-affidavit and to interview all the necessary people for that, which is why we asked for an extension," Zialcita told reporters. The lawyer added that Jacinto received a copy of the complaint only last March 28, when he was still under Senate custody. The Senate blue ribbon committee is investigating the Ligot couple's wealth, which was allegedly sourced from military funds. — RSJ/VVP, GMA News