LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire Phillipines – Former first lady Imelda Marcos would testify in a case against Lucio Tan, the country’s richest businessman, law firm Marcos, Ochoa, Serapio & Tan, which represents her son has said.
The “unusual” alliance between the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos would be put to the test on Wednesday when Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. testifies for the government side against Lucio Tan.
Marcos lawyers issued a statement Tuesday saying that former first lady Imelda Marcos would also testify to buttress her family’s position in the case.
“Unnamed sources also confirmed that [Mrs.] Marcos will be testifying after her son,” the firm’s statement read.
The assets being contested are a combined 60 percent of Tan’s nine companies, which the PCGG wants forfeited in favor of the state, the law firm statement said.
The PCGG, which is tasked with running after the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their cronies, said Bongbong was claiming the Tan companies for the Marcos family and not for the government.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, the younger Marcos kept his cards close to his chest, declining to answer most questions about his testimony at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City Wednesday.
He said, however, that his main intention in testifying for the government side in its forfeiture case against Tan was to clear the name of his father and of his family.
“The discerning factor is whether what they’re saying is true,” he said, when asked about his motive for aligning himself with the PCGG.
The congressman was referring to allegations that his father amassed his wealth illegally, hiding some of them in dummy firms incorporated with the help of businessmen like Tan. The late dictator was ousted in February 1986 by a people power revolt.
“They’ve been lying about what’s been going on,” the young Marcos said.
