Human rights advocates and Martial Law survivors in the Philippines are expressing deep indignation following the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn the 2018 graft conviction of former First Lady Imelda Marcos. The court’s ruling, which set aside seven counts of corruption related to secret Swiss bank accounts, cited a lack of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. For many Filipinos who lived through the brutal era of the Marcos dictatorship, this legal reversal—coupled with the dismissal of other ill-gotten wealth cases—is seen as a calculated effort by the current administration to erase the family’s history of plunder and restore their public image.

Critics, including the activist group Carmma, argue that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is actively utilizing his position to shield his family’s legacy from the legal consequences of the billions of dollars allegedly stolen during his father’s regime. While the Marcos family continues to deny these long-standing accusations, activists maintain that no court ruling can rewrite the historical reality of the systemic corruption that defined that period. As the government faces new allegations of modern-day plunder, the timing of these judicial victories has sparked widespread suspicion, fueling fears that the administration is prioritizing the preservation of its dynastic power over true justice for the Filipino people.