‘Imelda Marcos conviction a history lesson for millennials’

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines  —  Former Quezon representive Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III said yesterday the Sandiganbayan decision convicting former first lady and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos guilty on seven counts of graft will help millennials and those still unborn during martial law to be educated about what really happened during the dictatorship.

Tañada, who is running as an opposition senatorial candidate in next year’s elections, told media here that the decision will disprove the Marcos family’s claims that they did not steal billions from the country’s coffers during their reign.

He said even if the appeals process would take long, “to us, this would be a big help” to make the young people aware of history.

 Tañada lauded how the decision was written “as it showed how… corporations were used for money to be transferred from one account to another.”

 He said he is happy about the decision but noted the process on the motion for reconsideration to be filed at the Sandigandayan all the way to the appeal expected to be brought to the Supreme Court might take years to be resolved.

 Tañada said what was saddening though was the bail granted by the court to Marcos which was only P150,000 when the amount involved in the case was more than $200 million in public funds, which the Marcoses funneled to overseas bank accounts.

The Office of the Ombudsman has objected to the post-conviction bail granted to the former first lady, noting her “fictional” excuses for skipping the promulgation of her cases on Nov. 9.

Marcos first said she was suffering from various illnesses, the reason why she could not be attend the promulgation – only to be seen attending her daughter Imee’s birthday celebration hours later.

When she finally appeared before the anti-graft court, she claimed she did not know that her cases would already be promulgated.

Marcos was sentenced to six to 11 years in prison for each count of graft she was found guilty of. 

Vice President Leni Robredo  and other sectors are also protesting the grant of bail given the enormity of the amount found stolen by the Marcoses.