15 Billion Returned?


Imelda Marcos on jewels:

‘Thank God’


By Tetch Torres INQUIRER.net
http://www.inquirer.net/

MANILA, Philippines – Former First Lady Imelda Marcos said the possible return of her P15-billion jewelry collection from the government would be a triumph of “truth and justice” after two decades of “relentless prosecution and deprivation.”

In a statement, Marcos said “many” of the pieces were intended for “religious images like tiaras for the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

“Thank God that after more than 23 years of relentless persecution and deprivation initiated by the Cory Aquino administration in 1986, President Gloria Arroyo’s government has now started efforts for… truth and justice to prevail. Mabuhay ang Pilipino [Long live the Filipino],” she said.

Marcos said the pieces were among those that she left in her Malacañang bedroom, when a popular uprising forced her family to flee to Hawaii in February 1986.

She said Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco did an inventory of the jewels “without proper authorization.”

My friend Teddy wrote

Ma'm, please lang, please do not blaspheme... how could you have afforded P15 BILLION worth of jewelry on your late husband's salary, aber? and Inq., you quote Imelda saying Tingting did an inventory on the jewelry left in the Palace when Marcos et al made alsa balutan for (P)Hawai..and then ended the article right there and then.. didn't you bother to get Tingting's side of the story? ay naku talaga, ransacking PNB New York to spend money like money was going out of style... di ba - ginagawa yan ng mga M A G N A N A K A W?