This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/09/philippines-court-orders-arrest-imelda-marcos-graft

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Philippine court orders arrest of Imelda Marcos for graft Imelda Marcos disqualified from holding office after corruption conviction
(about 1 hour later)
The Philippine anti-corruption court has ordered the arrest of Imelda Marcos after finding her guilty on seven counts of graft during the two-decade rule of her husband, the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The former first lady of the Philippines, who became renowned for her lavish collection of shoes, has been found guilty of seven counts of corruption during her twenty years in office.
The former first lady, 89, who is also famous for her huge collection of shoes, jewellery and artwork, has faced dozens of protracted graft cases since her family was toppled in an army-backed popular uprising in 1986. Imelda Marcos, 89, is facing a jail sentence of between six and 11 years for each count of graft. The charges, the result of a court case which has been running for two decades, relate to private foundations she set up in Switzerland while holding public office between 1968 to 1986.
The court ordered Marcos, a congresswoman, to serve six to 11 years in jail for each of the seven counts of graft. She was charged for making seven bank transfers totalling $200m (£154m) to Swiss foundations during her term as Manila governor. The arrest of Marcos, who was not present at the trial, was ordered immediately after the verdict was read out at. However, she will be allowed to remain free on bail while she appeals the conviction.
Marcos and her representatives did not attend the legal hearing on Friday. She could not be reached for comment. The conviction also perpetually disqualified her from holding public office, meaning she will have to step down from her current position in the House of Representatives, where she is serving a third term.
The arrest warrant might not be executed immediately because Marcos could appeal against the ruling, a prosecutor said. In the 21 years that President Ferdinand Marcos was in power, he and his wife became infamous for amassing billions of dollars, with funds funnelled into Swiss bank accounts. Imelda Marcos in particular was known for her flaunting her opulent lifestyle while the country languished in poverty and civil unrest.
“She can elevate it to the supreme court if she sees grave abuse of discretion in the Sandiganbayan [court]’s decision. So this is not yet final and executory,” the assistant special prosecutor, Ryan Quilala,said, adding that Marco could also file for an application for bail. As well as being first lady, she was the minister of human settlements from 1976 to 1986 and governor of Manila from 1978 to 1984.
Under the rules of the Sandiganbayan, Marcos has 15 days from promulgation of the ruling to file an appeal, and the anti-graft court has 30 days within which to decide on it. She may also go straight to the supreme court to seek relief. The family fled to Hawaii in 1986 when the army and the Philippine people turned against the president in a bloodless popular revolt. After they left, Marcos’s collection of 1,100 shoes was put on display in the presidential palace to show people the extent of the riches she had accumulated while in office.
Marcos, who is serving her third consecutive term as a member of congress, has registered to contest an election to succeed her daughter, Imee Marcos, as governor of Ilocos Norte, the stronghold of the still-powerful Marcos family. Imee is running for the Philippine senate in 2019. This is not the first time that the former first lady has faced corruption charges. She returned to Manila in 1991 after her husband died in Honolulu but in 1993, she was convicted on two criminal corruption charges and sentenced to prison terms of nine to 12 years on each count. After an appeal the convictions were eventually quashed in the Supreme Court in 1998.
The opposition senator Risa Hontiveros said: “I hope this ruling would serve as a crucial electoral guide to our voters this coming election.” Her arrest was ordered again in 2009 for two counts of corruption but she posted bail and stayed out of jail.
Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, during which time thousands of opponents were jailed, killed or disappeared. He was accused of amassing more than $10bn while in office and died in exile in 1989. The Marcos dynasty still has huge political power and influence in the Philippines. Imelda’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr narrowly lost the vice-presidential election in 2016, a result he is currently challenging, and many see him as the natural successor to President Duterte.
The current president, Rodrigo Duterte, has good ties with the Marcos family and has often praised Ferdinand Marcos. He allowed Marcos’s embalmed body to be buried at a special heroes’ cemetery in 2016, and the president is often accompanied at official events by Imee Marcos.
Duterte’s spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said the ruling against Imelda Marcos was proof that the executive “is not in the business of exerting undue interference or influence on courts, and therefore respects the decision”.Duterte’s spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said the ruling against Imelda Marcos was proof that the executive “is not in the business of exerting undue interference or influence on courts, and therefore respects the decision”.
PhilippinesPhilippines
Asia PacificAsia Pacific
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content