THE INQUIRER headline: “SC acquits Imelda of 7 counts of graft.” A quick response of objection was raised by the decades-long fighter for truth, justice and good governance, August Twenty One Movement (ATOM).
The group believes that countless Filipinos and democratic organizations fighting for a “just and humane society” and a progressive Philippines have held the same strong sentiment, in not so many words, “NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN.”
Such includes the plunder and massive human rights violations, impacting more than 200,000 Filipinos under Martial Law Dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos from 1971 to 1986, the year when the Marcoses were kicked out of power by the world-re-known People Power Revolution.
“In a decision dated June 10 and made public on Tuesday (September 8, 2026), the high tribunal’s First Division acquitted the 97-year-old mother of President Marcos of violating Section 3(h) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”
This means that the Supreme Court made its decision last June yet, but had it announced publicly only last September 8, 2026. And this is the reason why President Bongbong Marcos had deceitfully lied, and publicly claimed before the Foreign Correspondents Forum that the Marcoses have “no ill-gotten wealth.”
Impression Of Normalcy
The people cannot help believing that injustice has been imposed by the Supreme Court on the country and the Filipino people. First of all, why the delay, almost six years, in coming out with the 50-page decision reversing the Sandiganbayan’s November 2018 judgment that found Mrs. Imelda Marcos guilty on seven counts of graft and imposed combined years of up to 77 years. It appears the Supreme Court took advantage of the long-held impression of normality of delayed justice by the courts of law, as for just one example, from thousands of other court cases of the moneyless poor, ex-senator Leila de Lima’s almost seven years of illegal imprisonment.
This was the impunity carried out especially from the time the ICC jailbird Rodrigo Roa Duterte, upon his official assumption as president in June 2016, immediately heartlessly institutionalized the bloody rampage of extra-judicial killings (EJKs), resulting in more than 30,000 victims brutally carried out by the PNP/AFP ground troops and their hired killers.
That ATOM and other organizations have raised objections to the SC decision are based on the facts about Imelda R. Marcos’ conviction as comprehensively elaborated in the booklet, “ESSENTIAL TRUTHS ABOUT CORRUPTION DURING THE MARTIAL LAW ERA (1972 – 1986),” published by the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC), a Philippine government agency created by Republic Act No. 10368. “The case involved the creation of several private foundations in Switzerland and her holding financial interests in the private sector while holding public office.
Mrs. Marcos was sentenced to six to 11 years in prison for each of the seven counts of violating an anti-corruption law. As the Metropolitan Manila governor, she funneled about USD 200 million to Swiss foundations in the 1970s.
Essential Truth
Together with and just like the former dictator, she used aliases in opening and managing Swiss foundations and accounts while in power…The Essential Truth is that while Imelda Marcos has consistently claimed her innocence regarding all corruption charges against her and her family, numerous cases and guilty verdicts have been brought against them… Additionally, the PCGG’s recovery of ill-gotten wealth (more than USD 602 billion), serves as evidence to support these accusations.”
Kicked out of power by the February 1986 People Power Revolution, the Marcoses’ “list of their suitcases includes several pages of jewelry worth USD 7 million.” Indeed, the SC decision is a great injustice to the Filipino people!