MANILA – Former first lady Imelda Marcos sought to appeal before the Supreme Court her conviction for graft at the Sandiganbayan.
The camp of the Ilocos Norte representative wrote the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division on Tuesday saying they will proceed to the high court since the former contradicted the facts of her case.
“Accused Imelda R. Marcos hereby files this Notice of Appeal, and requests that the records of the instant case be forwarded to the Supreme Court for further proceedings,” read the letter.
“To date, motion for leave filed by the accused has not yet been resolved,” the Marcos camp added. “With due respect, the accused submits that the decision convicting her is contrary to facts, law and jurisprudence.”
The Sandiganbayan convicted Marcos for seven counts of graft for allegedly creating and managing foundations in Switzerland that earned interest for the benefit of her family. She was sentenced to six to 11 years in prison for each count.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the case in December 1991.
Along with the conviction was Marcos’ perpetual disqualification from holding any public office.
The Sandiganbayan allowed Marcos to post a P150,000 bail on Nov. 16 pending the resolution of her motion seeking post-conviction remedies. But the bail will be forfeited with a finality of guilty verdict.
Marcos was charged for allegedly having financial or pecuniary interest in and participating in the management of several foundations despite a constitutional prohibition during her time as a member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa.
She was the minister of human settlements (1976 to 1986) and the concurrent Metro Manila governor (1978 to 1984) when she transferred around $200 million to seven Swiss foundations.
This was the second Sandiganbayan conviction of Marcos. In 1993 the anti-graft court ordered her arrest for two counts of graft. The Supreme Court acquitted her in 1998./PN
