The sequestered properties of Gregorio “Greggy” Araneta III, son-in-law of the late President Ferdinand Marcos were ordered release by the 4th Division of the Sandiganbayan.
The properties include the North Express Transport Inc., IMEXCO Enterprises Inc., Golden Needle Inc., High Five Philippines Inc., and the Philippine Semi-Conductor Devices Inc.
Sandiganbayan granted the decision on Jan. 14 after Araneta filed a motion to release the sequestered properties.
In 2005, the Sandiganbayan issued a resolution granting all the demurrers in the case except the one filed by former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
The Presidential Commission on Good Government immediately brought the case to the Supreme Court by filing a petition for review, arguing that the determination whether the properties were part of the ill-gotten wealth of the former dictator will be made only after there is a final adjudication on the case.
In 2012, the Supreme Court affirmed the Sandiganbayan resolution.
“Notably, the Supreme Court did not modify the Sandiganbayan’s lifting of the sequestration orders on the properties in the name of defendant Gregorio Maria Araneta III,” the court said in the decision penned by Division Chairperson Alex Quiroz. Associate Justices Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega and Zaldy Trespeces concurred.
In the resolution, the court also allayed PCGG’s concerns that
granting Araneta’s motion will gravely affect the main case against the Marcoses.
“The effect of the lifting of the sequestration will merely be the termination of the government’s role as conservator. In other words, the PCGG may no longer exercise administrative or housekeeping powers,
and its nominees may no longer vote the sequestered shares to enable them to sit in the corporate board of the subject company,” the court said.
The anti-graft court is expected to decide on Civil Case 0002 involving the P200 billion civil liability of the Marcoses and their
cronies after the Marcoses and government lawyers had presented their respective memoranda or summary of arguments.