Imelda acquittal assailed as a ‘gift’ for past ‘dictatorship’

The August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) on Thursday denounced the Supreme Court’s reversal of former first lady Imelda Marcos’ graft conviction, saying the ruling reinforced the perception that the Marcos family has continued to evade accountability decades after the fall of the dictatorship.

The group called the ruling “a disappointing day for justice and common decency,” arguing that the decision showed why the Marcoses had never spent a day in jail despite years of legal battles involving alleged corruption and ill-gotten wealth.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday made public its 10 June decision reversing Marcos’ 2018 conviction by the Sandiganbayan. The high court’s ruling acquitted her of the seven graft counts.

The group said it was a reminder that the political power associated with the Marcos family survived the 1986 People Power Revolution and continued to influence the country’s institutions.

“For decades, Filipinos have looked to the Supreme Court as the last refuge where true and absolute justice can be obtained,” ATOM said. “Today, we were reminded that the shadow of the conjugal dictatorship never really left our government.”

ATOM also drew a parallel between the latest ruling and the Supreme Court’s role during the martial law period, accusing the judiciary of having failed to stop the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from consolidating power after martial law was declared in 1972.

The group said the latest decision amounted to a similar failure of accountability involving Imelda Marcos.

“This mirrors the same Supreme Court that gave leeway to the dictator 54 years ago,” ATOM said, referring to the high court’s actions during the martial law era.

“Now, injustice has ‘blessed’ the other half of the Marcos dictatorship with this gift of dismissal.”