THE $4-million Credit Suisse account of Marcos' golfing buddy
Herminio Disini may still be intact, Presidential Commission on Good Government
Commissioner Narciso Nario said over the weekend.
Nario said there is still hope that the account, under the
names of Disini's wife Paciencia, and children Liliana and Herminio Angel, has
not been emptied after the 20-year-old freeze order on it was lifted by the
Swiss Federal Court on Aug. 18, 2006. But even if this has been done, Nario said
they can trace the person who made the withdrawal and go after him or her. "If
the account has been withdrawn already, we will chase who caused the withdrawal,
and if it is the brother, we can file corresponding charges," he said.
The PCGG itself was the source of information released last
March 19 that the account had already been emptied.
The PCGG Information Office confirmed that the agency has put
the Disini case in its priority list. The commission is set to discuss and
finalize their litigation strategy on Tuesday in an en banc session.
Nario said they have secured an order from the Sandigan-bayan
which states that the case will continue to be heard and they will present this
to the Swiss Federal Court as part of their request to have the account
re-frozen anew.
Government has been trying to get the money forfeited in its favor after
criminally charging Herminio Disini for obtaining $18 million in illegal
commissions for brokering the award of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant project to
American contractors Westinghouse Electric and Burns and Roe during the Marcos
administration. - Ashzel Hachero and Randy Nobleza
