Emerging pattern of Marcoses' exonerations

It is my considered opinion that before the end of President BBM's term, all the cases against the Marcoses shall have been dismissed. The new generations of Filipinos shall look at the Marcoses as saviors of the people. History shall be rewritten and the Marcoses shall remain in power till kingdom comes.

NAIA will be renamed MIA or Marcos International Airport. February 25 and August shall be forgotten. The Filipinos have short memories and we are a very forgiving people. Sandro Marcos shall run and win as senator and Manang Imee may replace her Adeng Bongbong in the Palace.  The cases against the Marcoses shall be erased from the books.

For the nth time, the nation's constitutional anti-graft court dismissed another case against the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and his family. Reason: the prosecution has failed to substantiate its charges against the Marcoses for 37 years. The case was allowed to lie there, and it died there. And alas, this is getting to be a habit now.

On February 18, this year, the Sandiganbayan dismissed an ill-gotten wealth filed in 1987 by the PCGG against Ferdinand E Marcos Sr., Imelda R Marcos, concerning alleged motor vehicles and appliances acquired reportedly through one co-accused Fernando Timbol. Reason for the dismissal: unreasonable inaction by the prosecution over an inordinately long period of time. The accused were not declared innocent.

On December 12, 2024, the Sandiganbayan dismissed the final six so-called ill-gotten wealth cases related to the Coco Levy Fund against Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Imelda Marcos, Juan Ponce Enrile, Maria Clara Lobregat, Eduardo Cojuangco, Cesar Zalamea and Jesus Pineda. Reason for the dismissal: inordinate delay and double jeopardy. No pronouncement that the accused were innocent.

On December 6, last year, the same court dismissed two other ill-gotten cases again related to the Coco Levy Fund filed against Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Imelda Marcos, Juan Ponce Enrile and Eduardo Cojuangco. Reason for the dismissal: the government filed a motion for withdrawal of complaint on the ground of an ongoing talks for a compromise agreement. It was not declared that the accused were innocent.

On November 19 last year, the Sandiganbayan dismissed another case against the Marcoses based on a compromise agreement between the PCGG and the late Marcos associate, Roman Cruz, former GSIS chairman and PAL president. The Marcoses allegedly gave up some properties in Antipolo and Baguio in exchange for PCGG giving up a government property in Makati. There was no statement that the Marcoses were not guilty.

On October 6 last year, the Sandiganbayan released a decision dismissing another ill-gotten wealth case against Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Imelda Marcos and the late GSIS chair and PAL president Roman Cruz pertaining to certain properties in California, Baguio, Manila and Makati. No pronouncement of innocence either on the part of the accused.

On the other hand, as a ray of hope for justice, on September 4, 2024, the Supreme Court released a ruling dated September 13, 2023, declaring that the estate of the late Ferdinand Marcos Sr. being administered by Ferdinand Marcos Jr has no right of ownership over the 57.68 hectare of property in Paoa, Ilocos Norte.

The property includes the so-called Malacanang of the North and the Paoay Sports Complex. The Supreme Court declared that the long-term lease by the Marcoses of the property owned by the Philippine Tourism Authority is unconstitutional. While the Sandiganbayan dismissed many cases against the Marcoses, the Supreme Court dared to decide against the family of the incumbent president.

On February 29, the same Sandiganbayan released its decision dismissing three cases of forfeitures against three companies in connection with the infamous Coco Levy Fund. Reason for the dismissal: inordinate delay by the plaintiff PCGG. The government is paying high salaries to the PCGG officials and they seem to exercise extraordinary diligence in delaying these cases.

On January 10, last year, the Sandiganbayan dismissed the ill-gotten wealth cases against 10 members of the so-called Nieto group of companies, alleged to have been associates of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Imelda Marcos in connection with shares of stocks of Eastern Telecom Philippines. Reason: lack of evidence.  That means that the prosecution failed in its job.

All these could only mean that the Marcoses are winning all their cases, except that one in the Supreme Court. Well, what are we in power for, to quote Senator Jose Avelino from Samar.  If I were Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr, I would avenge the ignominy suffered by my late beleaguered father, who was unceremoniously ousted from the Palace in 1986 through the EDSA revolt by aiming to achieve three landmark goals: first, to reclaim the presidency, second, to secure the complete exoneration of my family from all those corruption cases, and third, to rewrite history.

In May of 2022, the first strategic goal was achieved.  When BBM won over Leni Robredo, that was the tipping point. That was the game changer. The second goal is being completed too. And the third goal is almost done. Revising Philippine history includes the proclamation that workers should work on February 25. But Iglesia Ni Cristo founding Day is a non-working special holiday.  And the NAIA is being renamed Manila International Airport again.

Recapturing the Palace, having many cases dismissed and many more. Indeed, the Marcoses can be great again in the annals of Philippine history, which is being astutely rewritten. The son redeems the honor of the father. And the people do not seem to care. Is there hope for this country?  Sad. Very sad indeed.