Marcos welcomes Imelda acquittal after 40-year graft legal battle

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the graft conviction of his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, saying the case had weighed on the family for nearly four decades.

“I’m glad that the case is over,” Marcos told reporters during a media briefing in New Delhi on Sunday after attending the18th BRICS Summit.

READ: Supreme Court acquits Imelda Marcos on 7 counts of graft

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“It has been hanging over our heads for about 40 years. All those cases were filed in 1986, and that’s how long it has taken,” he said.

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The President said he was particularly relieved for his 97-year-old mother, who no longer needs to worry about the cases.

“Of course, I’m happy that she doesn’t have to worry about it anymore, because she does worry about these cases. I’m glad, especially for my mother,” Marcos added.

In a decision dated June 10 and made public on Sept. 9, the SC First Division overturned Imelda Marcos’ 2018 conviction by the Sandiganbayan for seven counts of graft involving the transfer of at least $200 million to Swiss foundations during the Marcos dictatorship.

READ: Sandigan doubles Imelda bail; martial law foes hit leniency

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She was supposed to serve a combined prison term of up to 77 years. However, the former first lady has not spent a day behind bars as she remained out on bail while pursuing her appeal.

The high tribunal’s decision did not determine whether the transactions were legitimate. Rather, it held that the prosecution failed to meet the evidentiary requirements necessary to sustain criminal convictions.

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It effectively cleared the former first lady of the criminal charges that had remained pending for decades.

The anti-graft court earlier acquitted Imelda in three other graft cases.

The Marcoses left the Philippines in 1986 after the People Power Revolution ended the more than 20-year regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. He died in exile in 1989.

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Imelda was charged with graft in December 1991, shortly after the family returned to the Philippines. She surrendered and posted bail days after the charges were filed. /dp