High-profile acquittals and case dismissals

As a member of the Philippine Bar and as a Law Professor for 48 years, I should be the last person to question the propriety of court decisions that are generally presumed to be results of regularity and strict adherence to the facts and the law. Our main observation was that mostly influential and powerful persons were acquitted. The small guys were either convicted or subjected to summary executions.

The most high-profile acquittals include that of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and his chief of staff, Atty. Gigi Reyes, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Dr Elenita Binay, former Makati mayor and wife of former vice president Jejomar Binay, and mother of Senator Nancy and mayor Abigail Binay. Also acquitted of her P44.7 million tax evasion case by the Court of Appeals was Janet Napoles. Former Chief Justice Ma Lourdes Sereno was also acquitted of tax evasion by the same tax appellate court.

The most eyebrow-raising was the October 6 decision dismissing the ill-gotten wealth case against former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., former First Lady Imelda Marcos, former GSIS president Roman Cruz, involving a P276 million worth of prime properties in Baguio, Manila, Makati and California, USA.  But the most important acquittals (which were rightfully deserved) were that of Senator Leila de Lima for concocted drug cases, after she was unreasonably detained for six years.

On December 6, 2024, the Sandiganbayan dismissed two ill-gotten wealth cases against Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Imelda Marcos, Juan Ponce Enrile and Danding Cojuangco concerning the Coco Levy Fund. On November 19, the Sandiganbayan dismissed another wealth case which was compromised provided the Marcoses get the properties in Baguio and Antipolo plus PLDT stocks while the PCGG or the government gets the property in Makati.

On October 17, the Sandiganbayan acquitted former Postmaster General and former Bulacan governor Josefina de la Cruz of graft. On October 9, the said court also acquitted former Zamboanga del Sur governor Aurora Cerilles also of graft related to purchase of furniture. The Sandiganbayan likewise acquitted on September 18 Janet Napoles in connection with alleged scam involving La Union congressman Victor Francisco Ortega.  Also acquitted on September 13 by the same court was Hussin Amin in connection also with the alleged PDAF scam.

On September 4, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Cerilles for another case of graft involving purchase of hospital equipment. On August 16, the same court acquitted former PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa involving the alleged anomalies in the 2009 purchase of used helicopters under the administration of GMA., On July 15, the same court acquitted Philippine Normal University Ester Organa involving a 1.1 million ad placement.

On July 15, the Ombudsman reversed itself by annulling the earlier dismissal of mayor Rosendo Labadlabad of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte, ordered his reinstatement and absolving the mayor of the case involving cockfighting permits. On June 25, the Sandiganbayan dismissed a huge P4.2 billion case against then Land Bank president Gilda Pico. It was a controversy involving purchase of Meralco shares by the Land Bank. I cannot understand why the bank for agrarian reform was buying Meralco stocks.

Again, on April 17, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Janet Napoles of another graft charge involving an alleged scam related to the PDAF of former Nueva Ecija congressman Aurelio Umali.  Janet Napoles was acquitted of a 44.7 million tax evasion case by the Court of Tax Appeals on March 25.  There were also dismissals of cases against representative Janet Garin and former Bohol governor Arthur Yap.

On February 26, the Sandiganbayan acquitted former associates of the Marcoses including Geronimo Velasco of PNOC and DOE, Emilio Yap of Bulletin and Olympio Bermudez involving the property of BASECO. On January 10, the sandiganbayan dismissed the ill-gotten wealth against the Marcoses for "lack of evidence." On January 18, the Ortigas Group lost to the Marcoses a major case involving ownership of an 18.4 property sequestered by the PCGG.

Indeed, the Marcoses had 2024 as a banner year for winning their cases, criminal, civil and sequestration as well as ill-gotten wealth cases. What was not accomplished from 1986 to 2023 was done in 2024. Are these good for the country? Well, to me, as a lawyer, I need to examine the records. But as a citizen, I pity our people and I am sad for our country.