P65.8-M properties of Marcos cronies up for sale

MANILA, Philippines – The Presidential Commission on Good Government will auction various properties worth P65.8 million that were acquired by the government from alleged cronies of the late president Ferdinand Marcos.

The PCGG said the Privatization Council has approved the proposed sale through public bidding of seven properties in various locations in the country.

It included three properties in Tagaytay, Puerto Galera and Calapan in Oriental Mindoro that were forfeited in favor of the government by former National Bureau of Investigation director Jolly Bugarin.

The forfeiture was based on a Supreme Court decision in 2012 that granted the government control of the properties supposedly acquired by Bugarin when he was NBI director during the Marcos administration.

Also up for auction are two properties in Naga and Legazpi previously owned by former ambassador to Japan Roberto Benedicto. The properties were surrendered to the government through a compromise agreement between Benedicto and the PCGG.

The Privatization Council also approved the sale of a property in Caloocan City, which was ceded to the government by former Marcos aide Alejo Ganut in 1994.

The PCGG will also auction the Wigwam Compound property in Baguio City, which was ceded to the government by alleged Marcos crony Jose Campos after the fall of the dictator.

Campos also surrendered the 18-hectare Payanig sa Pasig property, which the PCCG tried but failed to auction. The ownership of the property is being contested by BLEMP Corp.

PCGG said the auction of the seven properties is expected to be held in March.

PCGG Chairman Richard Amurao welcomed the approval of the Privatization Council and expressed confidence that they would receive competitive bid offers for the properties.

The PCGG targets to generate P383 million this year. It has successfully privatized close to P1 billion worth of Marcos-related ill-gotten assets since 2010.

Among those waiting approval for sale are the jewelry collection seized from former first lady Imelda Marcos.

“We will continue to work even harder in carrying out one of our major tasks, which is to privatize surrendered and recovered ill-gotten assets of the Marcoses and his cronies with proceeds going to its true owners, the Filipino people,” Amurao said.

“PCGG shall remain assiduous in our mandate as long as there are Marcos ill-gotten wealth yet to be recovered,” he added.