Imelda rushes to stop auction

Even before an auction house appraisal could be completed, the widow of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos rushed into town from Laoag, Ilocos Norte yesterday afternoon to try and block the sale of her jewelry sequestered by the government.

The lawyers of former First Lady Imelda Marcos were reportedly planning to file an eight-page petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Manila City Regional Trial Court (RTC) in an attempt to stop the Arroyo administration from auctioning off her diamond-studded tiaras, bracelets, earrings and other articles of jewelry.

Even while this was going on, the auction house Christie’s was conducting an appraisal of the collection — which includes a 30-carat diamond studded bracelet crafted by Bulgari, among other items — at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in Manila.

The government hopes to fetch at least $10 million from the sale of the Marcos jewelry.

Mrs. Marcos arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial Terminal from Laoag yesterday afternoon accompanied by her son, Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and niece Arlene de Guzman aboard Philippine Airline Flight PR227.

Upon her arrival, Mrs. Marcos was rushed to a waiting limousine outside the terminal and spared only a few minutes with reporters at the airport.

When asked for a statement regarding the jewelry, Mrs. Marcos wearily said: "Maawa na kayo. Bayaan ninyo ang lawyers ko ang sumagot sa mga tanong ninyo (Have mercy on me. I have no comment. Let my lawyers answer the questions)."

Mrs. Marcos, accompanied by her lawyer Robert Sison, was whisked to the Manila City RTC-Clerk of Court at around 3:30 p.m. yesterday. She reportedly paid the prescribed fee of P5,000 for the filing for an injunction with prayer for the issuance of the TRO against the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Jennifer dela Cruz-Buendia, of the Manila RTC-Clerk of Court office, said the civil case "is scheduled to be raffled off on Monday, the regular day for raffle, but if they file tomorrow for an earlier date we might raffle it tomorrow."

Marcos, a resident of 34B Pacific Plaza Condominium, Ayala Avenue, Makati City, said through her lawyers: "The proposed sale of the subject jewelry by the respondent would certainly have the effect of depriving petitioner of her right to her property without any due process of law."

First Glimpse Of Collection

Meanwhile, the public got a rare, first-time glimpse at some of the seized jewelry collection of Mrs. Marcos and Greek national Demetrious Roumeliotes during an inspection and appraisal by Christie’s at the BSP in Manila.

During a press briefing at the BSP complex, Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Commissioner Ricardo Abcede told reporters that this was the first time in the country’s history that this extraordinary collection had been displayed to the public.

"I am determined to have (the) jewelry auctioned off because the government needs the money," Abcede said.

"We want to target a November auction in Geneva. By May next year, in New York. We might sell the Malacañang and Honolulu collections first, then the Roumeliotes."

Only Christie’s representatives — both jewelry experts — were allowed inside the BSP complex yesterday to inspect the seized jewelry collection.

The two Christie’s representatives, who refused to meet with the media, were identified as Jean Marce Luel, senior associate of the jewelry department of Christie’s Geneva, Switzerland; and Shaine Ng, associate specialist jewelry department of Christie’s in Hong Kong.

Abcede told reporters that Christie’s inspection and appraisal of the jewelry pieces would be completed today.

After Christie’s conducts its inspection and appraisal, Philippine government representatives — including Abcede for PCGG, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Alex Arevalo and Finance Undersecretary Gabriel Singson Jr. — will be discussing with them the documentation and terms of reference (TOR) of the items.

Only Abcede and some other unnamed government representatives were present during the media briefing.

He said two more international auction houses — Sotheby’s and Bonhams — have been invited to bid on the holding of the jewelry auction and may arrive next week. The same procedures will take place including discussions on documentation and TOR.

During the visit, some of the pieces of jewelry seized from Mrs. Marcos were shown to the media and Abcede.

The jewelry was taken from leather and metal suitcases and laid out on a long table.

One item was a set of a diamond-encrusted bracelet, earrings and brooch owned by the former first lady and believed to be worth about $1.48 million.

Abcede also showed reporters a diamond-ringed 150.01-carat ruby pendant bigger than his thumb. A note in the pendant’s velvet box from a former aide of Mrs. Marcos said the item was worth $290,000 when the former first lady once saw it in New York.

The note, signed by a certain Fe Roa Jimenez, reportedly a friend of the Marcoses, said: "Sir (President Marcos), Ma’am (Mrs. Imelda Marcos) liked this when she saw this in New York. But she couldn’t afford it."

It was not immediately clear how and when Mrs. Marcos ultimately acquired it.

Officials also displayed three diamond-studded tiaras, one adorned with large pearls, several expensive Swiss watches and an array of other jewelry, many in rust-stained leather and silver boxes.

The bracelet-earrings set, the ruby pendant and the tiaras were part of a jewelry collection seized from the Marcoses in Honolulu, where they fled when the late dictator was ousted.

All three crates were kept inside a vault somewhere inside the BSP complex, though BSP personnel declined to say where.

The media, asked to arrive at 9 a.m. yesterday at the BSP lobby, were only allowed to enter after about an hour. Tight security was implemented at the complex.

Abcede said after the meetings with all the auction house representatives, they would be having a sealed bidding.

"All three will bid and will be evaluated based on criteria: appraised value, reliability and technical. These will be close fight because all of them are jewelry experts," he said. — Donabelle Gatdula, Sandy Araneta, Rainier Allan Ronda, AP, AFP