Due to a lack of evidence, the Sandiganbayan's Second Division dropped the ill-gotten money lawsuit filed against the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., his wife Imelda, and their suspected allies.
In its 45-page judgment, the anti-graft court stated that the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence to indicate that the assets and properties in question were obtained illegally.
"A judicious perusal of the evidence on record shows that the plaintiff failed to sufficiently prove the allegations in its amended complaint. In particular, the plaintiff failed to establish that the subject properties were ill-gotten," the court said.
Civil Case No. 0014, filed in 1987, sought the forfeiture and recovery of assets and properties owned by alleged Marcoses associates Modesto Enriquez, Trinidad Diaz-Enriquez, Rebecco Panlilio, Erlinda Enriquez-Panlilio, Leandro Enriquez, Don Ferry, Roman Cruz Jr., and Gregorio Castillo.
Ternate Development Corp., Monte Sol Development Corp., Olas del Mar Development Corp., Fantasia Filipina Resort, Inc., Sulo Dobbs, Inc., Philippine Village, Inc., Silahis International Hotel, Inc., Hotel Properties, Inc., Puerto Azul Beach, and Country Club, and Philroad Construction Corporation were the companies in question.
The accused "in unlawful concert and conspiracy with one another, acquired and accumulated grave abuse of right and power at the expense" of the government, according to the prosecution.
However, the anti-corruption court stated in its conclusion that "nothing on the face of these documents" produced by the prosecution proves that the Marcoses "had any interest or control over the subject corporations."
The testimony of the prosecution's lone witness, the records custodian of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), was struck aside when the court noted that she had no personal knowledge of the accuracy of the papers produced in court.
The court further stated that the majority of the documents produced were "mere photocopies of documents in the custody of the PCGG, most of which are barely readable."
Also, the Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division dismissed a civil lawsuit against Marcos and others in regard to the dictator's alleged ill-gotten wealth in a ruling dated February 21.
The complaint arose from alleged reversion, reconveyance, and accounting against Marcos and other respondents.
However, in May, the Sandiganbayan's Fourth Division refused a plea by members of the Marcos family to reclaim homes and assets previously considered ill-gotten for lack of merit.
