Palace respects ruling on PCGG appeal–Panelo

The PCGG, failed to present enough evidence for the high-profile case. #illgottenwealth #PCGGcase

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo. (OPS)

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo on Friday said that Malacañang does not interfere with the work or process of the judiciary and for the matter with the legislature.

Panelo made the remark after the Sandiganbayan’s 2nd Division denied the Presidential Commission on Good Government’s appeal for it to overturn its dismissal of a P1.052-billion ill-gotten wealth complaint against the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Imelda, and their alleged dummies, Rustan’s Commercial Corporation founders Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. and Gliceria Tantoco.

Reports disclosed that the anti-graft court denied the government’s appeal for lack of merit due to its failure to present new argument on the case.

“It respects its co-equal branch of government,” Panelo said.

The Sandiganbayan Second Division earlier disclosed in a decision dated 25 September that the government, represented by the PCGG, failed to present enough evidence for the high-profile case.

Tantoco who founded the upscale Rustan’s chain of stores is a close associate of the former President.

This is the second time that the PCGG lost a billion-peso case which this time was in connection with the Tantoco clan’s 11 real estate properties located in the Philippines, Hawaii and Rome; shares of stocks in 19 companies; cash on hand and in bank; jewelry; notes, loans and mortgages receivable; motor vehicles and three Cessna aircraft.

The anti-graft court said only four witnesses were presented while further presentation of evidence was waived in October 2006 due to the unjustified non-appearance of the government’s counsel.

The court denied the admission of a handful of evidence marked as ”MMM” to “AAAAAAA” because the government failed to present the same in the discovery proceedings despite directives of the anti-graft court and the Supreme Court.