Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, a staunch ally of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., claimed that the funds deposited in Swiss bank accounts of the presidential candidate’s family and recovered by the Philippine government in 2003 are “lawfully theirs.”
This is false.
STATEMENT
In an interview with Christian Esguerra, anchor of ABS-CBN News Channel’s program After the Fact, Singson said the Marcoses have long been bombarded by “allegations” of ill-gotten wealth.
Esguerra then mentioned the 2003 ruling of the Supreme Court (SC), which found that over $650 million in the Marcoses’ Swiss bank deposits were “unlawfully acquired.”
Singson replied:
“Ang diperensya diyan, sinasabi na kasi na ninakaw (ang $650 million). Hindi naman ninakaw eh. Sa kanila ‘yun eh. ‘Yun ang diperensya.”
(The problem there is, they’ve been saying these were stolen. They were not stolen. That’s theirs. That’s the problem.)
Source: ABS-CBN News Channel 24/7, Why Chavit Singson is campaigning for Bongbong Marcos, Sara Duterte? | ANC, Feb. 18, 2022, watch from 12:12 to 12:18
Esguerra repeatedly referred to the overwhelming evidence that the High Court evaluated before issuing its ruling, but the governor insisted that even records could be “fabricated.”
He said:
“Ipagpalagay mo, worse comes to worst or whatever, tama ka, ano naman ang kasalanan ng anak (Marcos Jr.)?”
(Granting, if worse comes to worst or whatever, that you are correct, what is the fault of the son?)
Source: watch from 15:59 to 16:05
FACT
In 2003, the SC, citing “undeniable circumstances” and “an avalanche of documentary evidence,” ruled that the Marcoses failed to “justify the lawful nature of their acquisition” of the money in Swiss banks transferred to the Philippine National Bank. The court ordered the forfeiture of these deposits, by then valued at $658,175,373.60.
Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.
