Former First Lady Imelda Marcos (Source: Reuters)Hanoi (VNA) – An anti-corruption court of the Philippines onNovember 9 issued an arrest order to former First Lady Imelda Marcos after shewas found guilty on seven counts of graft during the period that her husbandFerdinand Marcos was in office from 1965 to 1986.
The Sandiganbayan court sentenced Imelda Marcos, 89, to sixto 11 years in prison for each count of violating an anti-corruption law whenshe illegally funneled about 200 million USD to Swiss foundations in the 1970sas Metropolitan Manila governor.
The ruling also permanently disqualified Imelda Marcos — acongresswoman who is running for Ilocos Norte governor in the 2019 elections —from holding public office.
Neither Imelda Marcos nor any of her lawyers were presentduring the promulgation of the decision.
Imelda Marcos, famous for a huge collection of shoes,jewelry and artwork, is facing dozens of protracted graft cases that have houndedher since her family was toppled in an army-backed popular uprising in 1986.
The court's decision came nearly three decades after thecase was filed.
Under the rules of the Sandiganbayan, the former first ladyhas 15 days from promulgation of the ruling to file an appeal, and theanti-graft court has 30 days within which to decide on it. Marcos may also gostraight to Supreme Court to seek relief. She can also file an application forbail.
Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines for two decades,placing the country under martial law in 1972, during which time thousands ofopponents were jailed, killed or disappeared.
He was accused of amassing more than 10 billion USD while inoffice and died in exile in 1989.-VNA
VNA
