Four previously debunked hoaxes about the wealth and criminal cases of the Marcos family are again making the rounds on social media.
Originally posted by a YouTube channel on Sept. 19 and reuploaded on a Facebook (FB) page on Oct. 3, a video carried these claims:
- The Supreme Court failed to prove that the Marcoses owned ill-gotten wealth;
- The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) did not win cases against them;
- None of the Marcoses have landed in prison due to weak and insufficient evidence; and
- The last will and testament of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. states the wealth of the Marcoses will be used for the Philippines.
VERA Files Fact Check addresses these claims below.
On the court cases vs the Marcoses
Three Supreme Court cases dated 2003, 2012, and 2017 have stated that the Marcoses have ill-gotten wealth, former chief justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno said in 2021.
These cases were about the use of Swiss bank accounts to store US$658 million in stolen wealth, the use of a Panamanian corporation to steal US$3.37 million, and Marcos jewelry bought using ill-gotten wealth.
(READ: VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Not all cases vs Marcos ill-gotten wealth dismissed by SC)
The Marcoses also lost several cases filed by the PCGG. These lawsuits sought the recovery of shares, salaries, and assets from illegal transactions during the administration of Marcos Sr.
(READ: VERA FILES FACT CHECK: The Marcoses did NOT win all cases filed against them)
On why the Marcoses have not been jailed
The Sandiganbayan, in 2018, sentenced former first lady Imelda Marcos to 42 to 77 years in prison as it ruled her guilty of using Swiss corporations to embezzle government funds.
She was allowed to post a P300,000 bail due to her health and old age. Her appeal on her conviction to the Supreme Court is still ongoing.
(READ: VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Videos repeat multiple FALSE claims on Marcos cases and wealth)
On Marcos Sr.’s last will and testament
The late president only entrusted his wealth to his immediate family. Documents show that Marcos Sr. did not pledge to give his wealth to improve the lives of Filipinos, according to Miguel Paolo Reyes, a researcher from University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center.
His 1982 and 1988 last will and testaments state that 50% of his wealth went to his wife Imelda, while the other half would be distributed among his children and adopted daughter.
(READ: VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Marcos Sr. NEVER promised to give away his wealth)
Kaalam PH’s YouTube video got over 1.17 million views and 2,500 comments. It appeared five days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged to re-open the P203 billion estate tax case against his family.
The FB page repost, meanwhile, garnered over 406,400 interactions. Netizens are still interacting with the video.
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
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