Imee urged not to block sale of Marcos jewelry

MANILA, Philippines — Senator-elect Imee Marcos was urged yesterday not to raise any obstacle to the planned sale of her family’s jewelry worth more than P700 million.

“She should not block the sale of the jewels and compensation to the victims of her father’s regime,” Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares said.

Colmenares and militant group Bayan said the sale “is another proof” of the Marcoses’ corruption and ill-gotten wealth.

Colmenares said proceeds should to go human rights victims who received nothing from the past compensation board, suggesting that Congress pass another law providing for reparation and creating another board.

Bayan Muna was one of the authors of the previous law that has expired.

For his part, Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes lamented that despite all the ill-gotten wealth seized from them, the Marcos family has not been made truly accountable for corruption.

Reyes added, “Part of their loot has in fact been used to bring them in power through elections.”

He questioned the ties between the Marcoses and the Duterte administration, along with its anti-corruption drive.

“If there is proof of Marcos corruption, why does the Duterte regime maintain its alliance with the dictator’s family?” Reyes asked.

In Tokyo on Thursday, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Duterte has approved the sale of the Marcoses’ jewelry.

Panelo said the President wants the proceeds to benefit Filipinos and a formal order will be issued soon.

The assets to be sold are one of three jewelry collections of Imelda Marcos with an estimated value of P704.8 million.

A Commission on Audit report released last year said the President’s approval is needed to sell the jewelry collection through public auction.

Other Marcos assets to be placed on the auction bloc are real estate properties and shares of stocks with a total value of P1.081 billion. –With Rhodina Villanueva