Inquirer, Apr. 4, 2019, Govt Nixes Deal On Ill-gotten Imelda Painting.pdf

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The Dulerte

adminisrr.r;nn

has decided to reject a lls court-supcnised deal to spiit with a groLlp ofmarrial 1a1r vic tjms S2o millior froin the pr.l ceeds of lhe sale of il1 golien paintings of form.r firsi lad1,'

Inclda l"{arcos that 1v-.re tc co\iered fron her aicle in Netv York in2o13

The Oifi.e of Lhe Soti.iror GeDeral (OSG) on \{ednescia! disclosed that it had found the tcrms of the proposed dcal

"Brossly disadvantageous to thc govetnment and not iD ac cord .,4,'irh existing phitippine laws and jurlsprudouce."

The OSG, tlepartmcnt of Justice (DOI) and Presidertial Commission oD Good Govern meDt (PCGG) decidcd to in aii€ a

commo]] shnd during a casa conference on Mar ch

11.

"The three agencjes unaninlously agreed that, in the bcsi inierest of thc Repubhc, jr will no longcr entet jnto the settle merlt atlteemenl," rh€ OSG said in a statemeDt. "The PCGG was tasked ro

inform the New york Districi Cou.t undel Judge Katherine

Failla oithc goYernmenfs final decision tlrough a letter {]ateci l"4arch r6." it added.

Taiks with victims

Thc

PCGG alrparentl!. en tered i,rto ncgoiiatio11s t\dth hu

man rights \.ictims who woD

a

billion class suiL againsL the estate of thc late sirorlgnan FerdiDand l,{arcos in ihe L.S District Cour i in Har,r'aii ir11995. S?

Their AmedcaJr

lau'yer, Robeft Swifr ainolrnced i;rsr week tllat Ha$,aii Disiri.l Coinr

ludgc Mantel ReallDd apprcved a deal that granred a $13.75-mil lioD setdement

Lo Lhe

victins.

The seltlFrnFnl runrrl.l h.

ry Icund h€! guiltl of c0 spjra.]' arld 'La\ fraud irom Lh€ biacl( mat lier sa.ia o{ lrfoltcl-s "Lebassitdur: nyDpheas" (V\ia'i.r Lil_r- lond) in 2orc and ihc atenpled sale 0f tbre. other p.irlrting,s thai are on ihe Philippdte goverfinent's list ofsiolen amriarls.

S,nift said JuclHc Real au of l4;rrrh zlt the .lis tribuiior. oi Si,5oo to eactr of 6,5oo lEgrsrL.fcal nlatiial 1a!,, vi.iims in ih{: cla!s suit lhor izcd

I)]enl, thc lrictii

ui 14'oulrl

lrrjth erisiin8 Philippine lau.s .rrd jurisirrudcnce," ii sa;d on Wedresdaj.

lr

saici

it

issucd its disap

ploval in a lett€r dared jan.

23,

and a clse coilfet eDce \{as held anl.nqlarwers oi tbe OStl, DOJ

ard ti,e Fcalc on rr "r. ^lar.h iinall]' seftl. the issuc."

'l'h? OSG clarifieci rhat the

decjsi,rD !v:$

jointly rriade, af,

lcr acrilg PCCG Chajr Reynotd

Ihree_\,,,a_\,sharin!l

lJidcr the ltiorcrsital

gr.rsslv d;sadvartag.ous ro tbe rade[l atrd rot iD accol d

go!'er

rvrunsaya. rl.as qllored as say-

agj ee

iecei!

a

a ioial ljr3.75 nlillicn fr.n tile sale ol lhc pailriings, t].,! golr errr1lelli \!orl.l get S,i rlillkrl u'hilc the reinaid.ier r,,'ould bit

. ,1: ,. , , ,Fn L.:

jrlB thai Failla had been iniornrcd thai rh. OSG did Dor appro,..e oithc deai_ PCGG

position

Sidce iL \!as create!l sho rtv r-- ri,- oqo jur ul..r t.. , L.

'. :or . . i.p. ". .,. \.":. o, who djscor'cr€d rbc so callcd .tictarorship from poil,et, the \.",.:'. ,,t ., t,, po rior ! ". Th. PCGG had rcqLlestccl That ati rcrovere.l ili golref . r'',, .io 'l " .. . . , io,. o- .,, ,,"-a .o cnl€r irto a sertLcnleni agree-

the national col,fers.

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