SC upholds Sandigan junking of ₧1-B Case vs Marcoses, Pals

C ontinued from A16

It noted that only 11 exhibits and four testimonies were admitted as evidence.

H owever, after evaluation by the antigraft court of the remaining admissible evidence, it concluded that such pieces of evidence were either insufficient to prove the allegations of the expanded complaint, or were unrelated to the facts sought to be proved by the PCGG.

Aside fr om failing to prove the allegation that the Tantocos were dummies of the Marcoses, the Court said the PCGG failed to prove that 5 percent of the franchise tax paid by the Duty Free Shops were to Mrs. Marcos.

T he PCGG filed the forfeiture case in

1987 to recover assets and properties from the Marcos family and their alleged cronies, composed of P609.27 million in shares of stocks and P443.05 million in real properties.

T he expanded complaint also alleged that the Tantocos acted as dummies of the Marcoses in acquiring franchises to operate tourist duty-free shops at international airports, hotels and commercial centers.

H owever, the SC declared: “Clearly, these documents are insufficient to prove that respondents concealed illegally obtained assets, or amassed ill-gotten wealth.”

“Accordingly, the Sandiganbayan was correct in dismissing the Expanded Complaint for Reconveyance, Accounting, Restitution and Damages against all the respondents,” it added. Joel R. San Juan

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • www.businessmirror.com.ph