Three high-ranking police officers and several others implicated in the murder were arrested after the Justice Department filed cases of kidnapping and aggravated unlawful detention before the City of Angeles Regional Trial Court (RTC). After Marcos` death in exile three years after his fall, his widow Imelda faced hundreds of cases to recover property that would have been hidden abroad and in the Philippines. The case: This is actually a case of illegal dismissal. However, the circumstances surrounding it are overwhelming, to say the least. With regard to the judiciary and the public prosecutor`s office, INQUIRER.net looks back at the most pressing legal controversies that stunned the 2017 news cycle. After a public trial in the House of Representatives, the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecuted Senator Leila de Lima in February for 3 cases of illegal drug trafficking and indicted her. With the war on drugs challenged in the Supreme Court, a senator jailed on drug charges and a former president accused of corruption and usurpation, 2017 would not be complete without its hottest legal questions, trials and debates. Here are the high-profile verdicts, decisions, preliminary investigations and progress made in the 12 biggest cases of 2017 In a surprising turn of events, Queen Janet Lim-Napoles, an alleged pork barrel fraudster, was acquitted of charges of serious illegal detention of whistleblower Benhur Luy. The Justice Department will issue its resolution on the murders of Kian Lloyd delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz, who were allegedly killed by police officers. So far, the government has failed to recover 303.31 billion pesos of illegally accumulated wealth from the Marcos and their alleged cronies. At the time of writing, the Department of Justice had completed its preliminary investigation into criminal cases filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), although it had not yet adopted a resolution on BOC complaints. Hoping to revoke his arrest warrant for incompetence, De Lima took his cases to the Supreme Court, but the majority of judges rejected his plea.
In 2019, Philippine courts ruled on some of the most controversial cases the country has faced in years, including the verdict on the most horrific attack on media workers and by far the most violent election incident ever recorded in the Philippines. The Sandiganbayan rejected five of the seven ill-gotten gains cases filed by the President`s Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the agency tasked with recovering Marcos` ill-gotten gains, and the plaintiff in the case against the Marcos, for lack of evidence. The CA`s decision would have no bearing on Napoles` pork barrel business because they are “completely different,” Attorney General Jose Calida said. Supporters of Senator Leila de Lima hang blue ribbons demanding her release after a Supreme Court ruling allowed lower courts to continue trying drug trafficking cases against her. – MARIANNE BERMUDEZ The Public Prosecutor`s Office (PAO), which represents the parents of the teenagers, has filed murder charges against Caloocan police officers who were allegedly involved in the murders. At the time of writing, the Department of Justice had not yet issued its resolution on criminal matters. The court referred to the shares of businessmen Jose Africa and Manuel Nieto Jr., acquired in Eastern Telecommunications Phils Inc. on June 10, 1974, and other investments from the assets illegally amassed by Marcos.
In addition, there were “vanity items” worth 14 million pesos such as jewelry, medallions, perfumes and dresses in 24 boxes and suitcases that the Marcos had left in the Malacañan Palace when they fled to Hawaii. MANILA, Philippines – When we talk about important cases and investigations, 2017 will not be surpassed by the previous year. “Respect for human rights and the rule of law requires a strong judiciary and an empowered judiciary capable of carrying out its tasks independently and impartially and without fear of reprisals of any kind.” The weakening of the cases against the Marcoses was the inability of the PCGG to present the Sandiganbayan with original documents instead of photocopied. From the court document: “What conclusion can a reasonable mind draw from the premises given? Both complainants were so naïve that they were deceived by the respondent`s flattery. Or, when she fully understood the legal impossibility of fulfilling his marriage proposals, she unconditionally prostrated herself to his charms, too much in love with him to care about anything else. Result: The case has been the subject of numerous disputes in more than 10 years. The National Labour Relations Commission, the Ministry of Labour and even the President`s assistant, Jacobo C. Clave, intervened. They presented documented cases of Chinese blockade of fishermen in disputed waters, destructive Chinese fishing activities, and dozens of cases in which China has established military installations on disputed islands. Despite the lawsuits against her, Imelda was able to run and was elected to the House of Representatives for several terms, while her daughter Imee is now a senator. September 3 was a sad day for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as the Supreme Court voted unanimously to reject a petition to legalize same-sex marriage in the country.
Despite the Duterte administration`s policy of cracking down on illegal drugs, the 6.4 billion pesos shabu from China managed to get through the Customs Service (BOC) in May. Sandiganbayan`s Fifth Special Division said this was only in line with the Supreme Court`s decision to acquit former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of looting in connection with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office fraud. “The authorities are allowing the deterrent effect of red marking to fester throughout the legal profession. Instead, they must ensure the safety of lawyers and the independence of the judiciary. Reports of threats and attacks against lawyers and judges should be immediately investigated and perpetrators brought to justice,” said Emerlynne Gil. The government scored a victory in 2018 when Sandiganbayan sentenced Imelda to 11 years in prison for making illegal bank transfers worth $200 million to Swiss foundations while she was governor of Metro Manila in the 1970s. The case: In 1971, Patricia filed a motion to prevent Simeon from becoming a lawyer. Patricia said she and Simeon had been in a relationship since 1953, when they were teenagers and both lived in Janiuay, Iloilo. Pilar met David when she sought legal help regarding her divorce case, which her husband had filed in California Superior Court in Alameda County, USA. When she called Congressman Ramon Bagatsing`s office in Manila, David responded. On the other hand, the Bautistas are not the couple whose relationship has been dissected on the legal battlefield. Many couples before them have gone through similar, if not worse, hardships.