The social action arm of the Philippine Catholic bishops’ conference expressed alarm over a court decision dismissing a civil case against former president Ferdinand E. Marcos in relation to his alleged ill-gotten wealth.
“We are disappointed and alarmed by the recent ruling from the Sandiganbayan’s fifth division regarding the former dictator’s acquisition of ill-gotten wealth,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, national director of Caritas Philippines.
He described the anti-graft court decision as “a major setback for the Filipino people who have already been robbed of a better future and are currently experiencing high levels of poverty, as well as rising prices for basic necessities, education, and healthcare.”
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division dismissed the civil case against Marcos and his alleged cronies for lack of evidence.
“This court finds that the plaintiff failed to prove by preponderant evidence that the properties alleged in the complaint are ill-gotten and/or was beneficially owned and controlled by former President Marcos and his family,” read the Sandiganbayan decision.
The civil action was filed in July 1987 “to recover from them ill-gotten wealth consisting of funds and other property which they, in unlawful concert with one another, had acquired and accumulated in flagrant breach of trust and of their fiduciary obligations as public officers, with grave abuse of right and power, and in brazen violation of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of the Philippines.”
However, the court noted there was no “competent evidence” to prove that the corporations in the amended complaint were dummies and the former president had a hand in them.
It added there was no sufficient proof that other defendants had close associations with Marcos or any members of his family.
Bishop Bagaforo called on government agencies “to work diligently to gather, validate, and preserve substantial and indisputable evidence that can be presented in court.”
“We remain optimistic that one day, the Filipino people will emerge victorious over corruption, poverty, and tyranny,” said the bishop in a radio interview.
