Human rights victims stake claim on Marcos artworks
MANILA, Philippines — Human rights victims on Thursday filed a motion for intervention before the Sandiganbayan Special Division to stake claim on 150 pieces of artwork of the Marcos family.
Intervenors Zenaida Mique and Hilda Narciso filed the complaint against former President Ferdinand Marcos, represented by his estate and heirs, and his wife former first lady Imelda Marcos.
Mique and Narciso are both members of the Class of Victims of Human Rights Violations in a rights case against Marcos before the Federal Court of Hawaii.
In 1992, a United States jury found that the former president committed tortur, summary execution and disappearances against 9,539 Filipinos during the Marcos regime, the intervenors said.
"The Class could not sue the Republic because it had sovereign immunity. It did sue Ferdinand E. Marcos and obtained a Judgment for almost US$2 Billion against his Estate," the motion read.
The class obtained compensatory damage worth $353.6 million from the judgment against the Marcos estate.
A turnover was of two paintings purchased by Imelda, approximately worth $15 million, was held in December 2012 in the New York County Supreme Court against the District Attorney of New York County.
The class also sued Vilma Bautista, the former first lady's personal secretary, who has control of approximately 200 other paintings bought by Imelda.
Mique and Narciso filed a motion for partial summary judgment for forfeiture which is pending at the anti-graft court.
"The motion identified about 150 artworks that were purchaed by Imelda in the 1970's and 1980's," the motion read.
The 150 paintings were included in the list of artwork identified in the case against Bautista before the New York court.
"The Petitioner has fraudulently failed to inform this Honorable Cort that, by virtue of a formal settlement made in 1986 by the PCGG, that it recouped the funds allegedly misappropriated and used to purchase most of the artwork," the intervenors said in the motion.
The intervenors added that they have legal interest in the case of the paintings as they will be adversely affected by any disposition of the property.
The government is still on its search for about 200 missing artworks of Michelangelo and Pablo Picasso which have been part of the Marcos art collection.
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