Inspiration

The first time I saw Imelda Marcos up close was on July 2, 1985. It was her birthday and she was entertaining a massive crowd of well-wishers at Malacañang. Stiletto heels made her more statuesque. Her large brown eyes — said to be a genetic endowment from a Spanish friar — were riveting. Clad in a plain sheath dress, Ferdinand Marcos’ first lady was a stunner.

More stunning than the natural beauty of the birthday girl, however, were her jewels. Around her neck were precious gems the size of which you normally see only in the Smithsonian, with a matching pair of earrings. I half-expected to see the Hope Diamond adorning her finger.

Those were dangerous days of regular, often violent street protests against the Marcos regime. In California, the San Jose Mercury News was running a series on the Marcoses’ enormous ill-gotten wealth. The articles were reprinted in the Philippines and were passed around in the so-called parliament of the streets.

But if Imeldific was worried, she would only show it at her husband’s oath-taking, hours before they were whisked off to Clark Airfield and then to Honolulu by US forces on Feb. 25, 1986.

On her birthday in 1985, Imelda Marcos was still the “mother of the nation,” still haranguing visitors including the press with lectures and doodles of circles and squares on white board to illustrate that the Philippines was the center of the universe.

The only other person in power I know who regales visitors with lectures using a white board is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, although her topics are less esoteric.

On special occasions President Arroyo also likes displaying heirloom jewelry – the type that reminds you of camphor chests and perfumed fans. But none of her precious pieces – the ones that are shown to the public, anyway – comes close to the collection of Imeldific.

Imelda loved shoes, butterfly-sleeved gowns, and jewelry. Unable to belong to royalty either by birth or affinity, she took to wearing glittering tiaras even in the slums of Tondo, and you could be sure the gems were all genuine.

Her husband gave away Rolex watches to the enforcers of martial law; Imelda liked Patek Philippe. In her final months in power when I covered the presidency, I rarely saw her wear the same dazzling jewelry set twice, except for a pair of huge champagne earrings and ring that she wore several times, unless she owned several identical pairs.

Imelda was not the only jewelry display rack at Malacañang; the entire presidential residence was dotted with gem-encrusted icons. Imelda was a prayerful person, just like President Arroyo. There was a particularly impressive icon of the Virgin Mary, nearly as tall as the ceiling, with a crown of gigantic pearls.

I’ve always wondered what happened to those priceless pieces. After the 1986 revolt, former Marcos presidential guards said the icons, artworks and jewelry were carted away by the first wave of people who prepared Malacañang for the arrival of Corazon Aquino.

Imelda managed to take along with her a still substantial jewelry stash of about 400 pieces, which US authorities promptly confiscated upon her family’s arrival in Hawaii on Feb. 26. A US Customs inventory showed that the most expensive set in the collection consisted of a sapphire, ruby and diamond bracelet, earrings and brooch valued at $1.49 million.

That hoard has been turned over to the Philippine government, together with two other jewelry collections estimated to be worth a staggering $15 billion.

Ferdinand Marcos was a brilliant, lucky man – a person of destiny, just like someone we all know. But the Philippine presidency does not pay enough for anyone to earn even $1 billion after 20 years in power. And even if you dig up the entire golf course in Intramuros where Marcos supposedly found part of the fabled treasure of Japanese war general Tomoyuki Yamashita, it’s doubtful that you would find a treasure worth $15 billion.

The enormity of the wealth when compared to the legitimate earnings of a Philippine president should make it easy for the government to recover the assets from the Marcoses.

Yet the Philippine government still does not have final, irrevocable ownership of the jewelry, or many of the other Marcos assets valued at a couple more billions.

After 23 years, all the assets are still locked in litigation. If the government doesn’t have a case, the jewelry would have to be returned to Imelda Marcos, according to sacked justice secretary Raul Gonzalez.

But there’s still a case, according to his replacement, Agnes Devanadera, whose office also has supervision over the Presidential Commission on Good Government. So Imelda cannot get back her jewelry.

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And that’s where things stand, 23 years after the fall of Marcos. His heirs cannot get hold of his assets, but neither can the nation use any of the wealth.

Imelda is back in the party circuit, with guests wanting to have their picture taken with her. The stunning beauty now looks bloated, by medicine or the cruelty of aging. But she’s singing again, and occasionally flashing impressive jewelry. She has started her own line of faux jewelry and she promotes Philippine shoes.

Not bad for someone who, as part of a so-called conjugal dictatorship, has been accused of some of the worst crimes against the nation and humanity.

If we keep seeing the sins of the past repeated in this country, especially in the last eight years, a major reason is our failure to make anyone account for the crimes of the dictatorship.

Imelda Marcos is a constant reminder that you can get away with anything in this country. Her husband’s cronies are also back, with one hoping to become the kingmaker for the next president in 2010.

Her continuing good fortune is the best inspiration for all the crooks who believe they can easily get away with evil and immoderate greed even when they are no longer in power.

For the sake of future generations, it shouldn’t always be this way. Change can still happen in 2010.