TO exempt the Marcoses from criminal liability if they return alleged ill-gotten wealth would be “a mockery of justice,” according to a lawmaker at the House of Representatives. “It is well settled in Philippine jurisprudence that criminal liability is not subject to compromise,” Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay said in a statement issued on Wednesday. “It is a mockery of justice and an insult to the aggrieved sovereign people to exempt the Marcoses from criminal culpability in exchange for a few pieces of stolen gold bars or even for their entire ill-gotten hoard,” Lagman said. On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said that the Marcoses would not agree to return the alleged ill-gotten wealth if they would be jailed. Imee Marcos has said that there were no negotiations yet, adding that they trust Duterte will be able to end litigation that has taken years.

Source: Manila Times September 06, 2017 08:15 UTC