‘Government not abandoning case vs Imelda aide’

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) has denied the claim of a former official that it is abandoning the case filed against the aide of former first lady Imelda Marcos in the United States.

“The Philippine government moved not for the dismissal of its claims but merely asserted its sovereign immunity,” PCGG chairman Reynold Munsayac said.

Munsayac was referring to the $15-million case filed against former Marcos aide Vilma Bautista in New York.

“The properties subject of the New York case are also included in a pending Sandiganbayan case. Thus, the Republic feels that it will be best for the interest of the state to await the resolution of the Sandiganbayan case and to hold in abeyance the proceedings in New York,” he said.

Munsayac said the request for the New York court to postpone the proceedings was a decision arrived at after consultation with the lawyers handling the cases at the Sandiganbayan.

“Contrary to recent malicious insinuations of a former PCGG official, the republic is not abandoning any case against the Marcoses and their cronies, whether here in the Philippines or abroad,” Munsayac said.

“In fact, it has intensified its efforts in recovering ill-gotten wealth by asserting sovereign immunity and by consistently coordinating with government officials both from the Philippines and the USA,” he added.

Munsayac issued the statement after former PCGG commissioner Ruben Carranza alleged the lawyers of the Philippine government had moved for the dismissal of the case against Bautista.

“It is very unfortunate that during the time PCGG is facing its most difficult challenges, including threats of abolition, a former PCGG official has decided to engage in rumor-mongering, despite his absence of personal knowledge on the actual legal issues and proceedings of the case,” Munsayac said.

“Rest assured that the best interest of the state is always the primary consideration in the handling of the Republic’s cases and we will not allow baseless accusations to derail the efforts of the hardworking men and women of the republic,” he added.

Munsayac said it is their position that the Philippines should not have waived its sovereign immunity over the case because it might have detrimental effects in the future.

He said the previous waiver made by former PCGG officials were not authorized by the Office of the President, noting that the country was able to obtain a favorable decision in the past without waiving its immunity from suit.