Pictures, too

Photographs of Imelda Marcos posing against a backdrop of paintings hanging on a wall are reminders of the luxury that she and her family enjoyed in their heyday, and in fact continue to enjoy. Until now, the family that was overthrown partly for its legendary excesses not only has disdained contrition, but also continues to flout the law mandating the recovery of their ill-gotten assets.

The recent raids by government operatives on Marcos houses and even the Marcos Museum in Batac, Ilocos Norte, to recover paintings ordered seized by the Sandiganbayan have yielded nothing. Where are the Gauguin, Picasso, Pissarro, Goya and four other art pieces covered by the seizure order? Who spirited them away (a clear obstruction of justice)? How much more of the stolen hoard remains unremitted to the country?

And what will the government—and the public—do with such unrepentant behavior? Avarice is a dirty finger raised at a hungry populace.