Sandiganbayan dismisses six Marcos-era graft cases due to delay

The Philippines' anti-graft court, Sandiganbayan Second Division, has dismissed six civil forfeiture cases against the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., former First Lady Imelda Marcos, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, and their associates due to inordinate delay.

These cases, filed by the Philippine government in 1987 over the coco levy fund controversy, violated the defendants' constitutional right to a speedy trial.

In a 42-page resolution promulgated on Dec. 12, the court cited delays of up to 36 years since the original complaint and noted that similar cases against Eduardo 'Danding' Cojuangco Jr. were dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The Sandiganbayan ruled that the prosecution's reluctance to proceed with evidence presentation for over two decades contributed significantly to the delay, resulting in a violation of defendants' rights and dismissal of the cases.