The news “Sandiganbayan: PCGG can appeal dismissal of case vs. Marcoses” (News, 11/13/19) showed us the colossal bungling on the part of the prosecutors of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) handling the P102-billion ill-gotten wealth case against the Marcos dynasty. Are they really the best lawyers the government can afford? How pathetic!
First, they screwed up the presentation of evidence during the trial by exhibiting only photocopies of vital documents. A big no-no learned in evidence class in any law school. Without the originals being produced, no court can give any credence to photocopies which are so easy to manufacture.
And then, even after shamelessly and shamefully losing the case, they still had the temerity to file a fatally defective motion for reconsideration of the dismissal order. It was court procedure 101, for Pete’s sake! How dumb can they all be?
It is no comfort that the Sandiganbayan has taken back its ruling to junk the motion for reconsideration. The fact still remains: No competent and credible evidence exist in the wake of mere photocopies being the ones the PCGG prosecutors are principally relying upon.
Alas, given President Duterte’s “love affair” with the Marcoses whose huge contribution to his presidential campaign in 2016 made him what he is now, we would not be surprised if he promoted those nincompoops or appointed them as judges—instead of firing them. Heaven help us!
GRACE PO-QUICHO, gpq_rstu@yahoo.com.sg