MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday vowed to block any possible attempt to prevent the public auction of Marcos’ Jewelry from pushing through.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the remark after President Rodrigo Duterte last week greenlighted the auction of former first lady and now outgoing Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos’ jewelry to benefit Filipinos “who are in urgent need of government aid.”
“If they do then, we will oppose it. Because it’s the right thing to do. We feel that as the president says, the proceeds have to go to the Filipino people who are in urgent need of the government aid,” he said.
“As far as we are concerned, these properties have been declared to be ill-gotten, that’s why precisely it has to be sold. If that was the court decision then we have to abide by it,” he added.
The P704.8-million jewelries, known as the Hawaii collection, of the former first lady were seized by the government when the Marcos family fled to Honolulu, Hawaii in February 1986 after a people power revolution toppled former president Ferdinand Marcos from power.
The jewelry collection, consisting of diamond and gem studded tiaras, bracelets, and necklaces, have been stored in a vault at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The Presidential Commission on Good Government has been pushing to sell the jewelry collection.
Panelo said the collection will be up for a public auction and that members of the Marcos family may submit their own bids.
“I do not know any law prohibiting any person from bidding, if you are qualified,” he said.
“Everybody is free to bid… unless there are requirements for a qualification na gagawin nung auctioneer, kung meron e you will have to pass through the qualification,” he added.
The said pieces of jewelry were part of the more than P1 billion worth of assets confiscated from the Marcoses and their cronies that the PCGG has yet to disposed of. (with details from Rosalie Coz)
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