Sandiganbayan clarifies: Arrest warrant for Imelda Marcos deferred

FILE: Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos (Photo by Alaric A. Yanos via Ilocos Norte/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Former first lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos remains a free individual, for now, as Sandiganbayan has not yet issued a warrant of arrest against her, Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang said.

“I just learned that the Court has deferred release of the warrant of arrest because the lawyer of Mrs. Marcos filed a motion yesterday asking leave of court to avail of remedies and deferment of issuance of warrant,” Tang clarified on Tuesday, November 13.

Although Marcos filed the motion on Monday, further details about it have not yet been disclosed to media. The anti-graft court is set to hear the motion on Friday, November 16.

Tang issued this statement a few days after the Sandiganyaban Fifth Division found Marcos, 89, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of seven counts of graft due to her “financial interests and participation in the management of private foundations in Switzerland” while holding a government position during her late husband’s term, former President Ferdinand Marcos.

Mrs. Marcos was sentenced to imprisonment from six years and one month up to 11 years for each count of graft, and that she is also perpetually disqualified to run in any government position.

The former first lady, however, may still post bail while her conviction is not yet final and executory.

“Ordinarily, an accused who has been convicted of a bailable offense may still be granted bail pending appeal which is addressed to the sound discretion of the court,” Tang said.

Apart from imprisonment and disqualification from public office, the Sandiganbayan also ordered the forfeiture of the bail bonds that Marcos earlier posted, citing her “unjustified” absence in the promulgation of her cases last Friday.

“The accused is given thirty (30) days from today to explain why no judgment on the bonds should be issued,” the anti-graft court said on its order dated November 9, but was only released to media on Tuesday.

“Let a warrant of arrest be issued against the accused,” it added.