The glimpse of a possible Picasso in the house of Imelda Marcos filmed during a visit by her son, Ferdinand Jr, following his electoral victory has unleashed a wave of speculation in the Philippines, where the family that once looted billions is preparing to return to power.
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, son and namesake of the late dictator, He won a landslide victory in Monday’s presidential election, a result that has horrified those who survived his father’s rule.
Pictures posted by the family they showed Marcos Jr visiting the home of his mother, Imelda, who has Picasso’s Femme Couche VI (Reclining Woman VI), or a replica, displayed on the sofa.
It is not clear whether the painting, one of the eight that the anti-corruption authorities seized in 2014, is genuine, But the unexpected appearance of the nude in blue and green reclining on an orange and yellow bed has raised fears that the family will use their now heightened power to brazenly stifle further efforts to recover the ill-gotten wealth they plundered in last.
Marcos Sr. presided over a government rife with human rights abuses during his 20-year term, including the arrest, torture and murder of his main opponent. And used his power to loot some $10 billion until he was deposed in 1986.
The family kept the funds in bank accounts and real estate abroad, while Imelda, the matriarch of the dynasty, he spent money on an infamous collection of designer shoes, jewelry, artwork and clothing.
Since then, the family and their sponsors have changed Marcos’s name, and disinformation regarding Marcos Sr.’s government has spread widely on the internet.
Rubén Carranza, a former commissioner of the presidential commission for good government (PCGG), which was created to investigate and recover ill-gotten wealth, said it was unclear whether the painting was a genuine Picasso.
“Mrs. Marcos has been in the habit of buying fake paintings, as well as lending fake paintings for display,” Carranza said.
But he added: “The fact that she is now displaying it not only shows the duplicity of Mrs. Marcos, but that she likes to lavish extravagance for Filipinos to see… That says something even worse.”
“It shows this really, absolutely indifferent attitude towards Filipinos. Not only now have they been led to believe that [los Marcos] they have gold. Now, they are being led to believe, once more, that they have so much wealth that they can show it off whenever they please.” Carranza said.
For years, there has been speculation on the web that the Marks have large sums of gold, that a wealthy family gave to Marcos Sr. as payment for acting as his lawyer. According to him, the gold would be shared with the people if the family regained power.
Marcos Jr has downplayed or denied the abuse that occurred in the Philippines under his father. As president, he would have the power to appoint the commissioners of the PCGG, which would give him great influence over the body that was created to recover the family’s ill-gotten wealth.
Reportedly, the PCGG recovered regarding $5 billion, while another $2.4 billion was bogged down in litigationand there are still more to come.
The Picasso was supposed to have been seized by the government in 2014, but a former commissioner, Andrés Bautista, told the Rappler news site, co-founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, that he believed the painting was a fake. .
“I personally know that what we seized was fake. It was a tarp, so it’s still with them.”I go to the site.
The Marcos family continues to face dozens of court cases for their looted wealth. Imelda is appealing a 2018 criminal conviction on seven counts of corruption.
Marcos Jr’s spokesman, Atty Vic Rodriguez, did not respond to international media when asked during a press conference to clarify whether the artwork displayed in Marcos’ home was genuine.
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