The August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) on Saturday strongly criticized the Sandiganbayan’s decision to dismiss the remaining asset claims against the Marcos family, while also blasting the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) for effectively giving up on the forfeiture case.
The anti-graft court issued the resolution after the PCGG—the state agency tasked with recovering the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses—announced it would no longer present additional evidence for the unresolved claims in Civil Case No. 0141.
The advocacy group, which was established following the 1983 assassination of opposition Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., stated that the PCGG “appears to have waved the white flag.”
“Just because the Dutertes appear to be the main villains this month doesn’t mean you should dismiss cases against the Marcoses like a thief in the night,” the group said.
“Sobrang halata naman iyong timing nito!” it added.
ATOM reminded the public that former First Lady Imelda Marcos was convicted of seven counts of graft by the Sandiganbayan in 2018 and sentenced to up to 11 years in prison, yet she has remained free.
The legal battle originated from complaints filed in 1991, in which state prosecutors accused the Marcos family of funneling public funds into private offshore accounts.
According to ATOM, these recent judicial developments “proved to everyone that crime does pay.” The group further claimed that the “conjugal dictatorship of Marcos and Romualdez” has set a blueprint currently copied by other politicians and political dynasties.
The organization emphasized that the victims of state-sponsored killings during the martial law era deserve the same level of justice as those killed in the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration.
“And a lot of them are still alive. They never moved on. They never got justice. Sana huwag din nating kalimutan na namatay na lamang ng walang pagkakakulong si Ferdinand Marcos Sr.,” it added.
ATOM concluded by calling on citizens to continuously demand accountability from the Marcos and Romualdez families.
”It’s not about politics. It’s about ending this cycle of curse in our country. The original sin of failing to hold the Marcoses accountable remains,” ATOM said.