Duterte: Why would Marcoses return wealth without immunity?

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said that the Marcoses may ask for immunity in exchange for the return of some of their illegally-obtained wealth, although he clarified that the family did not ask for it and he is not in the position to provide it.

“If I were the Marcoses, kung isauli ko naman yan sabihin ko sa kanila, ‘Maghingi kayo ng immunity.’ Otherwise, keep the goddamned money. Isauli mo, na makulong ka,” the president told the media after delivering a speech at the anniversary celebration of Metrobank.

The chief executive however clarified that the grant of immunity was up to Congress. He also emphasized that he would take a neutral position on the issue although he warned that the Marcoses would not return any money without such assurance of protection from suit.

“They did not ask for immunity, and I cannot guarantee it also. I am not the proper authority to do that,” he said.

“You’ll have to look for to the ends of the earth to get them,” he added.

Last week, Duterte bared that the family of the ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos communicated through a spokesperson that it was willing to “open everything” and return “a few gold bars” to help the government cover its budget deficit.

The loot was accumulated during Marcos’ rule from 1965 to 1986, which was marked by massive violations of human rights and cases of corruption.

The Marcoses are accused of stealing $10 billion stashed in secret bank accounts abroad. Of this amount, the Philippine government has so far recovered $3.6 billion.

Duterte said that the Marcoses claimed the family hid the money because Ferdinand was expecting to return to power after being ousted in February 1986, a reason that the current chief executive was willing to take at face value.

The Palace last week said that the government is still studying how to best proceed with the offer to return some of the Marcos loot, which the Marcoses have referred to as family weatlh.

It said that the president would have the “nation’s interest” in mind in deciding on the offer.

Not a 'few gold bars' after all

The president also dialed back on his statement last week saying that the Marcos family would return a “few gold bars.”

“I didn’t say few. Basta sinabi isauli. It was not more or few,” he said, although he actually did say that.

He said then: “Pero hindi ito malaki, but we are ready to open and bring back' sabi niya, pati yung a few gold bars.”

The president said he was considering tapping three people, including a former chief justice, to handle the negotiation with the Marcos family.

“I am happy na we come make something really worthwhile for the Filipino,” said the president who has expressed admiration for the late dictator in the past.