IBINASURA ng Sandiganbayan ang P276-million ill-gotten wealth case laban sa namayapa at dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Sr., sa dating Unang Ginang Imelda Marcos, at kanilang associate na si Roman Cruz dahil sa tinatawag na ‘inordinate delay’ at paglabag sa ‘due process’.
Ang kaso sa ilalim ng Civil Case 0006, tinitukoy sina Imelda at kanyang anak na si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. bilang estate executors para kay Marcos Sr., inakusahan si Cruz ng pagkuha, pakikipagsabwatan sa mga Marcoses, mga assets na ang halaga ay disproportionate o o mas malaki sa kanilang legal income.
Ang assets ay kinabibilangan ng dalawang residential lots at dalawang condominium units sa Baguio City; isang residential building sa Makati; isang parcel o sukat ng lupain at anim na condominium units sa California, United States; at isang residential na lupain sa Metro Manila.
Sa isang 30-page resolution, sinabi ng anti-graft court na hindi pumalag at kumontra ang state prosecutors sa ‘motion to dismiss’ na inihain ng mga Marcoses para sa 37-year-old case dahil sa ‘inordinate delay’ at paglabag sa ‘due process.’
“It did not oppose the move of the defendants to dismiss the case. In fact, the plaintiff tends to agree with the dismissal of the case when it emphasized that there are no more allegations against the estate of Marcos,” ayon sa Sandiganbayan.
Si Cruz noon ay presidente at general manager ng Government Service Insurance System (GSIS); presidente ng Philippine Airlines (PAL); chairman at presidente ng Hotel Enterprises of the Philippines, Inc., nagmamay-ari ng Hyatt Regency Manila; chairman at presidente ng Manila Hotel Corporation; at chairman ng Commercial Bank of Manila (CBM.)
Tinuran pa ng Sandiganbayan na wala sa mga Marcoses ang pasanin upang matiyak na patuloy na gumugulong ang hustisya pabor sa kanila o pabilisin ang pre-trial at simulan ang paglilitis ‘within the reasonable timeliness.’
“It is unquestionable that the defendants have already been prejudiced by the inordinate delay. The fact that the case was filed against the defendants and pending before this Court where they are made to defend themselves, secure services of paid counsel, and spend for their bail is enough trouble and prejudice to them,” ang sinabi ng Sandiganbayan.
“They can no longer be afforded a fair trial since the witnesses may have already died and the documentary evidence may no longer be located after more than 30 years from the filing of the complaint,” ayon pa rin dito.
Tinukoy naman si Imelda, sinabi ng korte na “Considering that the extant living defendant is 95 years old, her ability to testily and recall the events has assuredly declined, as has her health.”
“Wherefore in view of the foregoing, the Motion to Dismiss filed by defendants Imelda R. Marcos and the Estate of Ferdinand E. Marcos dated July 16, 2024 is hereby granted and the instant case is hereby dismissed as against them,” ang pagpapasya ng Sandiganbayan. Kris Jose
