Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 24) — The anti-graft court has dismissed a decades-long forfeiture of unlawfully acquired property case against ex-Tacloban City Mayor Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez, a brother of former first lady Imelda Marcos, and other respondents due to violation of their right to speedy disposition of cases.
In a decision promulgated on June 23, the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division junked Civil Case No. 0167, which the government filed in 1996 against Romualdez, his wife Agnes Sison Romualdez, Romson Realty, Inc., R & S Transport, Inc., Fidelity Management, Inc., and Dio Island Resort, Inc. over several properties they allegedly acquired illegally.
Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) was also later included as a respondent after it obtained properties from Romson Realty.
According to the Sandiganbayan, the case has been pending for 27 years, yet the pre-trial has not even started.
It also said the government repeatedly failed to fully comply with the court’s resolutions. Government prosecutors reasoned that this was due to “voluminous workload consisting of hearings and preparation of pleadings in other equally important cases,” but the Sandigabayan said these explanations were “flimsy excuses.”
“The sheer length of time this case has been dragging on, coupled by the petitioner’s failure to fully comply with our resolutions, rendered the delay inordinate, vexatious, and oppressive delays and, thus warranting the dismissal of the case,” the court said.
It also noted that the original petition had already undergone three amendments which were all initiated by the government, for a period covering over 20 years.
“We are at a loss as to why it took the petitioner 16 years to file a supplemental petition; another four (4) years to file its amended supplemental petition; and an additional four (4) years to file its second amended supplemental petition,” the decision read.
In asking for the case to be dismissed, Romualdez had pointed out that he is almost 90 years old, and that allowing the petitioner to \”further delay the proceedings […] will result in another round of protracted litigation,\” infringing on his right to speedy disposition of cases.
