By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE chief counsel for business tycoon Lucio Tan yesterday questioned why the government is lawyering for the Marcos family.

In trying to win its case to claim 60 percent of Tan’s corporate assets, the Presidential Commission on Good Government had lost sight of its true objective, said Estelito Mendoza, who has represented Tan since the case was filed against him 21 years ago.

“The PCGG has forgotten its real client here,” Mendoza said. The commission was an institution of the Republic of the Philippines and not of the Marcos family, he added.

But PCGG lawyers were now lawyering for the Marcoses and spending government resources to help the late president’s family, he said.

After 60 hearing dates and more than 30 witnesses presented, the defense had yet to present its own evidence, Mendoza said.

Mendoza, a former justice minister under Marcos, said he took the Tan case when he was 57. “Now I’m 79 and growing older,” he said. “I want to finish the case before I’m finished.”

Under Civil Case 005, the government claims ownership of a large chunk of the beer and cigarette magnate’s assets representing 60 percent of his companies—Fortune Tobacco Corp., Asia Brewery Inc., Allied Banking Corp., Foremost Farms, Himmel Industries Inc., Grandspan Development Corp., Silangan Holdings Inc., Dominium Realty and Construction Corp., and Shareholdings Inc. It is also seeking an award of P51 billion in damages and litigation costs.

The same properties are being pursued by the family of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

In a bid to prove the state claim, Presidential Commission on Good Government lawyers led by special counsel Catalino Generillo Jr. presented Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in court and summoned ex-first lady Imelda Marcos, and the other Marcos children, including former Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos.

Marcos Jr., the only son of the late strongman, has finished his testimony, telling the anti-graft court he had personal knowledge that Tan deposited millions in the account of his father with Security Bank. He said this represented his father’s share in Tan’s corporations.

Meanwhile, a government lawyer disputed the public perception that the Marcos family had lost interest in its claim over 60 percent of Tan’s assets.

In a telephone interview, Generillo said the Marcoses would file a pleading to show proof of their intent to go after properties that they claim are being held by Tan.

“They are bent on recovering those assets,” Generillo said without giving details of the Marcos pleading.

The government lawyer also said Mrs. Marcos had valid reasons to miss court hearings on several occasions.

In the last two hearings, Generillo said, Mrs. Marcos’ lawyer informed the court that she was in hospital. Before that, she had asked for time to prepare her testimony.

Generillo also said that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was able to prove in court that the Marcoses owned the contested properties, even though he failed to show the court original copies of documents to support his claim of ownership.