Philippines to abolish agency hunting Marcos

Manila : Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's government plans to abolish the agency tasked with recovering the billions of dollars plundered by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his allies, a cabinet member said Wednesday.

The announcement was the latest development in the remarkable political rehabilitation of the Marcos clan, which has accelerated since family ally Duterte became president last year.

"They don't do anything. What do they do?" Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said as he told reporters the government planned to scrap the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

The PCGG was set up three decades ago, just after a bloodless "People Power" revolt toppled Marcos, to recover the estimated $10 billion looted by the dictator and his allies during his 20 years in power which were marked by massive corruption and abuse.

The agency has since recovered 170 billion pesos or about $3.4 billion in ill-gotten wealth as well as jewellery, art and other assets.

But it is still working to find millions more, including 200 pieces of art by masters like Michelangelo and Picasso, alleged to have been purchased by the Marcos family.