Court acquits Imelda in graft case

Manila: A Manila court on Monday acquitted former first lady Imelda Marcos in a 1991 "dollar salting" case filed against her by an anti-Marcos lawyer. The Philippine Central Bank defines dollar salting as the act of smuggling large amounts of money out of the country in violation of its regulations.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr of Branch 26 of the Manila regional trial court acquitted Imelda of 32 counts of dollar salting.

Pampilo said the prosecution failed to convince the court that Imelda intentionally hid from authorities earnings that made it into her various foreign exchange accounts under the names of several foundations.

"These cases were filed in 1991 and have been in the courts for sixteen years now. It is time to put an end to these issues and unburden the taxpayers who have to shoulder the cost of long-drawn litigation," the judge said.

The then solicitor-general Francisco Chavez, who filed the case against Imelda in 1991, had alleged that the former first lady had violated the rules of the Central Bank by failing to report interest earnings from several of her foreign exchange accounts.

In a press briefing held immediately after the controversial ruling, Imelda said she dreamt of having all other cases filed against her by the administration of president Corazon Aquino resolved within her lifetime.

"It is my dream that all the cases involving my family be resolved while I am still alive," Imelda said during the briefing at a hotel in Manila.

Imelda still has 10 more criminal suits pending before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan court.

Pampilo handles nearly 70 per cent of all cases filed against the Marcos family and their alleged cronies while the rest fall under the purview of the anti-graft court, the Sandiganbayan.

"The prosecution failed to prove that there was conspiracy in dollar salting and there was failure to prove dollar salting beyond reasonable doubt," he said.

Pampilo, however, said that despite the failure by the prosecution to establish a conspiracy in the dollar salting case, the forfeiture cases involving Imelda and the Marcos family's secret dollar accounts would continue. "The acquittal in the dollar salting case will not affect the other cases."

Merger

Arroyo thanks ramos

President Gloria Arroyo has endorsed the merger of her party with the ruling party.

Arroyo is honorary chairperson both of Lakas, the ruling party, and her own party, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (or Kampi).

"The merger of Lakas with Kampi will combine the talents and resources of two great political parties into a powerhouse team of five senators, 143 congressmen, 55 governors, 85 city mayors, 945 municipal mayors and over 7,000 vice governors, board members, vice mayors and councillors," Arroyo said during the national directorate meeting of Lakas at the Manila Hotel.

She expressed her gratitude to former president Fidel Ramos, chairman emeritus of Lakas, for "continuing to be the beacon of sobriety, unity and peace not only for our party but also for our country".

"Beloved partymates, thank you for being my steady allies. Thank you for sustaining our party's eminent role in the life of the nation," she said.

- Barbara Mae Dacanay, Manila Bureau Chief