Marcoses should return ill-gotten wealth ‘without precondition’ —priest

The family of late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos should expect nothing in return for surrendering part of their supposed ill-gotten wealth to the Philippine government, according to a Catholic priest.

“It’s a clear admission that they stashed away billions, which belong to the Filipino people. They should return all that they looted from us without precondition,” Redemptorist Fr. Amado Picardal said, according to a report by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Monday.

“That would be an expression of remorse for what happened under Martial Law," he added.

Picardal, a Mindanao-based priest and peace advocate, was imprisoned and tortured during the Martial Law regime.

The priest was asked about the possibility of a secret deal between the Duterte administration and the Marcos family.

“I don’t want to speculate. They might want to keep a percentage (of the wealth). After all, they supported Duterte’s candidacy financially,” he added.

His remarks followed President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that the Marcoses are willing to return part of their  alleged ill-gotten wealth, including a few gold bars.

Malacañang has urged Congress to allow the negotiations on  the family's offer to proceed as an effort to achieve "final justice, closure and national reconciliation.”

Aside from amassing ill-gotten wealth, Ferdinand Marcos had been accused of committing massive human rights violations during his 20-year reign as President.

His daughter Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos had asked her father's critics for their forgiveness last September without citing specific wrongs he committed. — Margaret Claire Layug/MDM/KVD, GMA News