Manila – The Sandiganbayan First Division has ordered the forfeiture of expensive paintings which were “illegally acquired” by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his family during his presidential term.
In a decision that was released on Thursday, the anti-graft court said the paintings were “unlawfully acquired” by the Marcoses and their cost was “significantly out of proportion” to their salaries.
Among over 800 pieces of artwork named in the partial summary judgement are works by renowned painters Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Grandma Moses.
“(The petitioner) Republic was able to establish the prima facie presumption that the paintings and artwork, valued around $24,325,500, acquired by the respondent spouses were significantly out of proportion to their aggregate salaries of $304,372.43 as public officials,” it said.
“Aside from the unsubstantiated ‘lack of sufficient knowledge’ in the answer, respondents failed to present evidence to overturn the presumption that the artwork and paintings were unlawfully acquired. Hence, the forfeiture of said properties in favor of petitioner Republic is warranted,” it added.
The court also ordered the respondents and any of their representatives not to dispose of and/or sell off the artwork, and give an accounting of any pieces in their possession or have been sold. They should turn over any artwork “and/or divulge their current location.”
The Sandiganbayan said the prosecution was able to present a great amount of compelling and hard-to-find documentary evidence which were also testified upon by highly competent Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) officials, specifically on how they were collated, filed, reviewed, and safe-kept.
It also cited instances when the Marcoses made express admissions as to their possession and/or ownership of the paintings as shown in the June 26, 1992 Compromise Agreement that they signed with the Philippine government.
The said 1992 deal, reached as part of the Marcoses’ decision to amicably settle the cases, agreed to transfer the subject paintings from their custodians in the United States to the National Museum of the Philippines.
The ruling came days after the anti-graft court’s fourth division junked a P200-billion forfeiture case against former president Ferdinand Marcos, his widow Imelda, his children Sen. Imee, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Irene Marcos, and Constante Rubio, a close associate of the former president, for lack of sufficient evidence./PN
