Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Talk about buying the presidency. LOL Mrs. Marcos Says Family Has $800M > > MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Imelda Marcos claimed > Thursday to have more than $800 million stashed away in > foreign banks, all of which she promised to give to poor > Filipinos if she is elected president. > > ``If you know how rich you are, you are not rich,'' the > widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos said. ``But me, I am > not aware of the extent of my wealth. That's how rich we > are.'' > > It is the first time Mrs. Marcos has publicly admitted > her family has more wealth than that discovered by the > government since Marcos was ousted in a popular revolt > in 1986. > > Marcos died in 1989, accused of plundering about $10 > billion from the national treasury during his 20-year > rule. He never admitted any wrongdoing. > > Mrs. Marcos said the $800 million does not include $540 > million the government has discovered her husband had in > various accounts in two Swiss banks. > > ``There is more Marcos wealth that this government is > not yet aware of, but for the time being, I can admit > that there is only $800 million kept in various > international banks, but I cannot reveal them,'' Mrs. > Marcos told a press forum in Manila. > > Mrs. Marcos, who is trailing in a field of nine major > candidates in May's presidential election, promised to > distribute the money to poor communities. > > Magtanggol Gunigundo, chairman of the Presidential > Commission on Good Government, in charge of recovering > the Marcos wealth, welcomed her admission. > > ``That is good, so that we can embark on another case of > forfeiture and confiscation,'' Gunigundo said. > > But while he said he believes the Marcoses do have > undisclosed assets -- how much he would not say -- he > also cautioned that Mrs. Marcos' statement must also be > seen in the light of the presidential campaign. > > ``I believe she is saying this in order to titillate the > people to vote for her,'' he said. > > Mrs. Marcos ran unsuccessfully in the 1992 election and > won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1995. > > In December and January, the Swiss Supreme Court ordered > that the $540 million be transferred to an escrow > account in the Philippines. The court stipulated that > the Philippine government will get the money only if it > proves Mrs. Marcos obtained it illegally. > > So far, Mrs. Marcos has been convicted only on unrelated > corruption charges. She was sentenced to nine to 12 > years in prison but is free on bond pending an appeal. -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues