Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (2nd L), his sister Imee (2nd R) and their mother, former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos(R), listen to the national anthem during a wreath-laying ceremony in Batac, Ilocos Norte province, north of Manila on Sept. 10, 2017. Noel Celis, AFP/File
MANILA — The camp of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rested its case in proceedings involving the alleged ill-gotten wealth of his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
In a hearing on Wednesday morning, Marcos Jr.’s lawyer Manuel Plaza was asked by Sandiganbayan 2nd Division Chairperson Oscar Herrera about his next move after submitting a special power of attorney for representing his client.
Plaza had earlier manifested that Marcos Jr. is adopting the evidence presented by the other defendants.
“Are you resting your case already?” Herrera asked.
“Yes, your honor,” Plaza replied.
Civil Case No. 0014 involves the recovery of alleged ill-gotten wealth which the Marcoses supposedly acquired through the improper use of funds or properties owned by the government.
Other defendants include Modesto Enriquez, Trinidad Diaz Enriquez, Rebecco Panlilio, Erlinda Enriquez-Panlilio, Leandro Enriquez, Roman Cruz, Jr. and Gregorio Castillo.
Based on the original complaint filed by the Office of the Solicitor General and the Presidential Commission on Good Government in 1987, the Enriquezes and Panlilios allegedly illegally acquired shares of stocks in 23 corporations, mostly hotels, during the Marcos regime.
In 2009, the PCGG estimated the subject properties in Civil Case No. 0014 with a total amount of P581 million.
From October 2020 to May 2021, the heirs of Enriquez and Panlilio presented 3 defense witnesses: lawyer Fatima Ann Isla, Janina Bacsal and Ma. Concepcion Ezpeleta-Torralba.
Other members of the Marcos family named as defendants in the case—former First Lady Imelda Marcos, Sen. Imee Marcos, Irene Marcos-Araneta and Don Ferry—have yet to present their evidence.
The anti-graft court said it was giving time for the 4 defendants to present their evidence on Sept. 1 and 22 and Oct. 6.
Lawyers from the government side said if the 4 fail to present evidence, they would file a motion for the court to declare that the defendants have waived their right to present their evidence.