Sandigan junks coco levy case vs Marcoses, others

Acting on the Presidential Commission on Good Government's request, the Sandiganbayan has dismissed the government's damage claims against the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr., former first lady Imelda Marcos, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and the late businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr. in connection with the alleged misuse of the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF),

- By ELIZABETH MARCELO

Acting on the Presidential Commission on Good Government's request, the Sandiganbayan has dismissed the government's damage claims against the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr., former first lady Imelda Marcos, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and the late businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr. in connection with the alleged misuse of the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) also known as the coco levy funds, during martial law.

In a 34-page decision promulgated on Dec. 6, but uploaded on the Sandiganbayan website only yesterday, the anti-graft court's Second Division dismissed two civil cases against the Marcos spouses, Enrile, Cojuangco and several other individuals who were alleged cronies of Marcos Sr. "due to the withdrawal of the plaintiff republic." The Second Division said that during a case conference last July 3, the PCGG, represented in court by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), manifested that the republic was waiving its claims for damages against the defendants for both Civil Cases 0033-A and 0033-F.