Sandigan orders return of Canlubang Mansion to Marcoses

MANILA, Philippines - Ruling that the property was not among those ordered sequestered by the government, the Sandiganbayan has ordered the return of the so-called Canlubang Mansion in Cabuyao, Laguna to the Marcoses.

The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division said the house, which stands on a parcel of land covered by Transfer Certificate Title (TCT) No. T-85026, belongs to the heirs of former president Ferdinand Marcos.

“Consequently, the plaintiff (government) is hereby ordered to immediately cease from further interfering with the exercising ownership over the subject property and to return the possession and control thereof to defendant-movant and the other registered owners,” stated the 24-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Gregory Ong.

Associate Justices Jose Hernandez and Roland Jurado concurred with the ruling favoring the motions filed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Sandiganbayan ordered the register of deeds of Laguna to cancel the annotation of lis pendens (pending litigation) on the Canlubang Mansion property and further directed the government to fully comply with its ruling within 30 days upon receipt of the resolution.

The Sandiganbayan ruled that the affidavits issued by the Office of the Solicitor General were insufficient to support the application for a writ of attachment because the grounds were merely stated in general terms, without specific allegations of circumstances to show the reason why the government believes that the property forms part of hidden and illegally acquired assets.

The Marcoses had argued that no less than Sandiganbayan Executive Clerk of Court Emma Rosario Lorbes certified in 1989 that the Canlubang Mansion was not among those listed in the List of Assets Sequestered or included in the list of freeze orders furnished by the Presidential Commission on Good Government and duly registered with the anti-graft court.