Executive Secretary Renato de Villa told The STAR yesterday the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) knows that Irene Marcos-Araneta and her husband Gregorio had tried to withdraw $13. 2 billion from the Union Bank of Switzerland and transfer it to a new account in Deutsche Bank in Germany.
"I believe you will hear something within the immediate time," he said. "The position of our government is that we will not let up in the search for ways to get back these (ill-gotten) funds which we believe must be turned over to the government."
De Villa refused to elaborate except that the government has taken steps to stop the Araneta couple from laundering money from the Marcos funds.
"We are doing something about these things, but I just cannot reveal them," he said. "Our people can rest assured the government is doing its job."
De Villa said the Arroyo administration needs the Marcos wealth to "fill in" the national purse so the government can finance various infrastructure projects.
The attempt of the Araneta couple was disclosed by Reinier Jacobi, an Australian treasure hunter whom the government had hired – and later fired – to search for the secret Marcos bank accounts in Europe.
PCGG Commissioner Jorge Sarmiento told reporters an auditor appointed by the Swiss Federal Banking Commission determined last year that the funds deposited in Account No. 885931 and its sub-accounts have not exceeded CHF20 million during the period Jan. 1, 1986 to Jan. 19, 1999.
"The audit report also indicated that none of the persons closely identified or associated with the Marcoses have been registered as account holders and that there is no evidence showing that assets are being held for their benefit," he said.
Sarmiento said the two transactions involving Union Bank of Switzerland in Lugano, as reported by Jacobi, were not carried out under any account in "885931 Sandy Anstalt."
"With respect to the relationship between client No. 885931, Sandy Anstalt with the alleged Marcos family accounts in Liechtenstein and Switzerland, the firm has determined that while the Sandy Anstalt account did exist, it did not have any connection with Ferdinand Marcos or persons connected to him, in particular Ms. Irene M. V. Araneta," he said.
In a statement yesterday, Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez said the Arroyo administration must exhaust all legal means to recover the Marcos wealth.
"I am confident that this government has the political will to recover these assets," read the statement. "These illegal acquisitions rightfully belong to the Filipino people. They will be recovered, most especially for the poor."
Alvarez, who is Lakas-NUCD secretary general, said Mrs. Arroyo must recover the Marcos wealth for the benefit of the Filipino people and the government.
"This is a welcome break in the government’s effort to recover the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses," he said. "For the first time, there is damning evidence that the $13.2 billion I. Araneta account does exist and that there are other accounts believed to be stashed by the late strongman."
Alvarez said the government’s efforts to recover the Marcos wealth would become easier if German authorities had indeed documented the Araneta couple’s reported transaction as Jacobi claims.
"I have no doubt that the present administration will exhaust all possibilities, even links with NGOs, to make the necessary investigations to shed light on the hidden wealth which, when recovered, will not only compensate the human rights victims but will definitely be beneficial for the government’s pro-poor programs," he said.
Party-list Rep. Loretta Ann Rosales told reporters yesterday the Arroyo administration must immediately make representations with the Swiss government to thwart the Araneta couple’s attempt to withdraw the $13.2 billion.
"The (human rights) victims continue to suffer under harsh economic conditions and of record, a number of them have already died without justice meted out to them," she said. "Three administrations over the past 15 years have already passed and still the thousands of victims of torture, murder and involuntary disappearance remain uncompensated."
Rosales said any withdrawal of money from the Marcos accounts in Swiss banks would violate the International Mutual Assistance Cooperation agreement between the Philippine and Swiss governments, which calls for the freeze of all Marcos deposits.
"Should investigation show that such an attempted withdrawal took place last February 14 by daughter Irene Marcos, then the Marcos family is most despicable and must be condemned in the highest possible terms," she said.
Rosales said it would not be surprising for the Marcoses to do everything to withdraw deposits in Swiss banks at this time because the $150 million settlement with the 10,000 human rights victims will be finalized at month’s end.
"Given the attitude of the Arroyo administration and the Supreme Court ruling, it is remote, if not virtually impossible, for the Marcos family to try and work out onerous agreements with Malacañang the way they tried to with the past two presidents behind the backs of the almost 10,000 human rights victims and the Filipino people," she said. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin, Nikko Dizon