Imelda Marcos on jewels:
‘Thank God’
MANILA, Philippines – Former First Lady Imelda Marcos said the possible return of her P15-billion jewelry collection from the government would be a triumph of “truth and justice” after two decades of “relentless prosecution and deprivation.”
In a statement, Marcos said “many” of the pieces were intended for “religious images like tiaras for the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
“Thank God that after more than 23 years of relentless persecution and deprivation initiated by the Cory Aquino administration in 1986, President Gloria Arroyo’s government has now started efforts for… truth and justice to prevail. Mabuhay ang Pilipino [Long live the Filipino],” she said.
Marcos said the pieces were among those that she left in her Malacañang bedroom, when a popular uprising forced her family to flee to Hawaii in February 1986.
She said Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco did an inventory of the jewels “without proper authorization.”
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