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18 Rutgers L.J. 217 (1986-1987)
Marcos Mania: The Crusade to Return Marcos' Billions to the Philippines through the Federal Courts

handle is hein.journals/rutlj18 and id is 227 raw text is: MARCOS MANIA: THE CRUSADE TO RETURN MARCOS' BILLIONS TO THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH THE FEDERAL COURTS On February 26, 1986, President Ferdinand E. Marcos of the Philippines, following in the footsteps of other distinguished United States allies,' was forced to flee his country after a civil and military uprising ended his twenty-one year reign as dictator.' While Marcos at first seemed to be but another deposed dictator, destined to fade into history, there has emerged a seemingly unending avalanche of information and evidence documenting how Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos amassed a vast fortune at the expense of their country.3 The flagrant misuse of government funds by the Marcos regime is so well documented that the succeeding government of Corazon Aquino is wholeheartedly crusading to recover as much looted government property as possible.4 1. Since 1979, three other United States allies have been removed from office by waves of democracy. They are: General Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua (Washington Post, July 18, 1979, at 1, col. 2); the Shah of Iran (see generally Washington Post, Jan. 17, 1979, at 1, col. 3, and Note, Islamic Republic of Iran v. Pahlavi: A Novel Application of Forum Non Conveniens, 49 ALB. L. REV. 528 (1985)); and President Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti (see generally Washington Post, Feb. 8, 1986, at 1, col. 3, and Dorfman, On the Trail of Baby Doc, N.Y. MAGAZINE July 14, 1986, at 19). 2. See generally N.Y. Times, Feb. 27, 1986, at 1, col. 1; Washington Post, Feb. 27, 1986, at 1, col. 2. Marcos was the first exiled ally to accept an offer of sanctuary in the United States (although ousted leader Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua had a temporary stay in the United States). See Richburg, Marcos, Duvalier Cases Raise Asylum Question, Washington Post, Feb. 26, 1986, at 14, col. 4. 3. Estimates of Marcos' holdings range from $6 billion to $10 billion evidenced by papers left in his palace and those brought with him when he fled to the United States. This is especially perplexing considering that Marcos' salary was only $46,700 a year. Burgess, Tax Returns, Receipts Document Marcos'Spending, Investing, Washington Post, Feb. 25, 1986, at 4, col. 2. The flow of information between the United States and the Philippines, in regard to Marcos' financial holdings and transactions, has been aided by a 1976 Convention between the United States and the Philippines for Double Taxation on Income. The convention provides for the necessary authorities to exchange information to prevent fraud on either party by individuals traveling between the two countries. The convention also pledges that each country will assist the other in collection of due taxes. See Convention on Double Taxation: Taxes on Income, Oct. I-Nov. 24, 1976, United States-Philippines, T.I.A.S. No. 10417; Russakoff, Filippinos Find Avalanche of Marcos Financial Data, Washington Post, Mar. 12, 1986, at 1, col. 3; Richburg, Papers Show Wealth Hidden Worldwide, Washington Post, Mar. 21, 1986, at 1, col. 1. 4. See Randal, Filippinos Energetically Seek Information on Hidden Wealth,

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