OUR jubilation over Imelda’s conviction and sentence of 77 years imprisonment must be tempered with caution. Otherwise, we will again be a victim of our illusion.
This is not the first time that Imelda Marcos was convicted for graft. In 1998, she was sentenced by the Sandiganbayan to a prison term of from 9 to 12 years. She appealed to the Supreme Court where its Third Division (chaired by then chief justice Andres Narvasa) sustained the Sandiganbayan by a 3-2 vote.
The Supreme Court, in violation of its own Circular 2-89 which prohibits an appeal from the decisions or resolutions of the SC divisions, accepted the appeal of Imelda Marcos and the full court, by a vote of 8-5 reversed Imelda’s conviction and acquitted her.
Now, 20 years after that infamous acquittal, Imelda is again confident that she can evade justice through power, influence, and her connections with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Nevertheless, Imelda’s conviction is still considered a victory for a country which has suffered 20 years of the Marcos conjugal kleptocracy with its massive human rights violations and the plunder of the national treasury.
With Imelda’s conviction, the Sandiganbayan has sent a powerful message that crime does not pay and that there is reason to hope for an improvement of our justice system. But the greatest significance of the Sandiganbayan decision is that the Marcoses’ efforts to revise history have completely failed.
Whatever happens in the Supreme Court, the anti-graft court’s verdict has confirmed the historical fact that the Marcoses during their heydays, had stolen the people’s money and that Imelda is a thief. This will greatly affect the senatorial bid of Imee Marcos and crush to pieces the dream of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to become president of this country.
With her connections with President Duterte, Imelda Marcos may successfully avoid any imprisonment for her crimes. But can she and her family escape the unerring judgment of history? (Democrito C. Barcenas)