31:
496:, on the other hand, argued that the Republic had no right to appeal; when they invoked their right to sovereign immunity, they were not a party to the lower court's judgment, and only parties may appeal. While the Republic argued it was an "indispensable party" according to Rule 19 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Pimentel class urged the Supreme Court to uphold the Ninth Circuit's ruling that it was not.
947:
583:§ 1001, which has very similar wording to the federal Rule 19, identically, ruling that while the Pimentel class has a valid federal judgment, "the judgment that they secured is against the estate of Ferdinand Marcos and it can be lawfully executed only against property that the estate legally owns."
519:
It was the Court's unanimous decision that both the
District Court and the Ninth Circuit erred as regards interpretation of Rule 19; the Republic of the Philippines was indeed an "indispensable party" according to the rule, and because it had refused to appear in Court, the interpleader action should
542:
The practical effect of the decision was a prioritizing of the
Republic's claims to assets over those of human rights victims. As a result of the ruling, all assets ruled by the Sandiganbayan to be ill-gotten gains of Ferdinand Marcos became the property of the sovereign Republic of the Philippines,
463:
action asking that all of the lawsuits which make claims against the Arelma assets be consolidated into one action. The
Republic, however, felt that it should not have to argue its case in court; that is to say, the Republic, being a foreign sovereign, did not feel that it could submit to a US court
655:", Dr. Jaime S. Bautista, Special Counsel, Philippine Commission on Good Government, in Measures to Freeze, Confiscate and Recover Proceeds of Corruption, United Nations Asia and Far East Institute/UNODC Third Regional Seminar on Good Governance for Southeast Asian Countries (2009), p. 73
428:
ruled in 1997 that the funds owned by Arelma S.A. were the property of the
Republic of the Philippines, and remitted them to the Republic, with certain conditions, in 1998. The stock certificates for Arelma S.A. were given to the Republic with the same conditions in 2000.
445:, known in the suit as the "Pimentel class", won a ≈US$ 2 billion total judgment against the estate of Ferdinand Marcos. Thus began a long process of attempting to recover whatever money could be recovered through the US court system. The Pimentel class sought to compel
560:
In 2009, the
Sandiganbayan finally ruled that the Arelma assets were, indeed, the Republic's property—this ruling was upheld twice by the Supreme Court of the Philippines; first in 2012, and then without possibility of further appeal in 2014.
552:, "The case marks the first time the Supreme Court has surrendered the jurisdiction of its courts to a foreign country—and in this instance to a third world country which was not known for its not being corrupt."
613:
943:
In re
Enforcement of Philippine Forfeiture Judgment Against All Assets of Arelma, S.A., Formerly Held At Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated, Including, But Not Limited to, Account Number
626:, some funds were finally personally disbursed by Swift to some members of the Pimentel class in April 2019, over the unanimous objections of the Philippine government, who has continued to file motions in
743:
An act declaring forfeiture in favor of the state any property found to have been unlawfully acquired by any public officer or employee and providing for the proceedings therefor (Republic Act 1379). 1955.
1103:
506:
The whole doctrine of sovereign immunity rests upon unfairness. It says you can't sue the sovereign even if you have a valid claim. The doctrine of sovereign immunity always has unfair consequences.
452:
Various creditors, including the
Republic, also sought the same assets, arguing that as the crimes occurred in the Philippines and all victims were Filipino, Philippine courts (in this case, the
420:
As early as 1986, the account of Arelma S.A. was targeted by the PCGG as being ill-gotten money of the Marcos regime. Arelma S.A. owned assets both in
Switzerland and in the US in the custody of
564:
Despite the ruling of the US Supreme Court, the
Pimentel class has continued to try to get the Arelma assets in state court, where the Republic has continued to claim sovereign immunity. In
598:
438:
1042:
854:
835:
812:
789:
667:
177:
82:
760:
605:, who held the money between 2012 and 2017, as the Pimentel class continued to fight the forfeiture in favor of the Republic. In 2017, the funds were transferred to the
1113:
1024:. The official name of the Philippines in English is the Republic of the Philippines, yet the Supreme Court Case, and the federal case before it, omits the "the".
606:
442:
960:
618:
800:
573:
1098:
382:
1108:
483:
874:
456:) ought to disburse the funds according to Philippine law, which in the case of graft, provides that the funds rightly belong to the state.
425:
602:
465:
370:
35:
986:
54:
Republic of
Philippines et al. v. Jerry S. Pimentel, temporary administrator of the Estate of Mariano J. Pimentel, deceased, et al.
768:
374:
356:
243:
915:
330:
Kennedy, joined by Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito; Souter (all but Parts IV–B and V); Stevens (Part II)
688:
580:
394:
594:
489:) gives them first priority in terms of recovered assets, without having to argue with members of the Pimentel class.
378:
1053:
527:
and Souter dissented, instead arguing that decision was too "inflexible" given the circumstances. Instead, Justice
576:
208:
726:
539:
placed until the Sandiganbayan rules with finality on whether or not the Republic owns the assets in question.
135:
899:
616:, where the Republic has continued to fight for the funds. As of January 13, 2020, the case there, known as
398:
165:
161:
652:
169:
446:
421:
1046:
858:
839:
816:
793:
671:
181:
74:
520:
never have moved forward, even if the Republic was unlikely to win on the merits if it were a party.
493:
1062:
111:
536:
301:
587:
415:
194:
601:, after the 2012 ruling, the money was finally turned over by Merrill Lynch to New York City's
696:
524:
269:
468:
386:
293:
281:
523:
As to the resolution, the Court decided 7-2 that the case should be dismissed. Justices
1071:
861:
842:
819:
796:
674:
512:
479:
305:
277:
198:
63:
1092:
591:
475:
453:
548:
528:
460:
313:
289:
261:
77:
214:
531:
argued that the Court should have ruled that the District Court's judgment be
173:
700:
168:(9th Cir. 2006), and opinion amended and superseded on denial of rehearing,
89:
474:
With the support of the United States, who advocated on their behalf as an
1080:
823:
101:
961:"U.S. lawyer: No PH admin supported compensation for martial law victims"
224:
151:
132:
987:"OSG: Martial law compensation from paintings 'disadvantageous' to govt"
730:
619:
District Attorney of New York County v. The Republic of the Philippines
532:
229:
218:
139:
569:
204:
242:
Foreign sovereigns are "indispensable parties" under Rule 19 of the
864: (2008) (Concurrence in part and dissent in part of J. Souter)
614:
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
449:
to release the assets they held on behalf of Arelma S.A. to them.
761:"'US court decision on Marcos account won't affect cases in RP'"
385:(PCGG). The case stemmed out of disputes surrounding one of the
147:
30:
1021:
546:
Lawyers for the Pimentel class rebuked the decision, telling
459:
Merrill Lynch, unsure who to release the assets to, filed an
377:
as regards money damages sought by a foreign government, the
158:
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. v. ENC Corp.
722:
In re Estate of Ferdinand E. Marcos Human Rights Litigation
387:
overseas investments and bank accounts of Ferdinand Marcos
599:
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
916:"SC affirms forfeiture of Marcos' $ 40-M Arelma assets"
492:
The Pimentel class, represented by human rights lawyer
439:
United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
1104:
United States Supreme Court cases of the Roberts Court
875:"PCGG welcomes US high court ruling on Marcos wealth"
901:
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vs. Republic of the Philippines
350:
342:
334:
326:
321:
250:
236:
190:
122:
117:
107:
97:
69:
59:
49:
42:
23:
504:
607:New York State Office of the State Comptroller
8:
471:said simply, "this has to be decided here."
369:, 553 U.S. 851 (2008), is a decision of the
164:(9th Cir.), opinion amended and superseded,
687:The Associated Press (December 13, 1997).
383:Presidential Commission on Good Government
129:In re Estate of Marcos Human Rights Litig.
20:
689:"Swiss Court to Return Some Marcos Money"
443:human rights victims of the Marcos regime
801:Brief for respondent Mariano J. Pimentel
424:; these assets were frozen in 1990. The
1114:Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act case law
1014:
639:
938:
936:
914:Torres-Tupas, Tetch (April 1, 2014).
18:2008 United States Supreme Court case
7:
754:
752:
750:
663:
661:
647:
645:
643:
622:, is ongoing. Following an order in
464:in this instance for a ruling. Then-
426:Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland
1039:Republic of Philippines v. Pimentel
759:Pacheco, Marieton (June 17, 2008).
612:Judge Leon ordered the case to the
366:Republic of Philippines v. Pimentel
24:Republic of Philippines v. Pimentel
845: (2008) (Opinion of the Court)
371:Supreme Court of the United States
36:Supreme Court of the United States
14:
1099:United States Supreme Court cases
1049:851 (2008) is available from:
543:even those held by US companies.
375:Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
357:Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
244:Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
29:
1109:2008 in United States case law
609:'s Office of Unclaimed Funds.
397:until being overthrown in the
1:
985:Buan, Lian (April 10, 2019).
653:Recovery of the Marcos Assets
959:Buan, Lian (July 16, 2019).
595:United States district judge
395:President of the Philippines
379:Republic of the Philippines
1130:
1081:Oyez (oral argument audio)
413:
920:Philippine Daily Inquirer
727:910 F. Supp. 1460
577:New York Court of Appeals
355:
255:
241:
144:Hilao v. Estate of Marcos
142:1995); affirmed sub nom.
28:
603:Commissioner of Finance
447:Merrill Lynch & Co.
422:Merrill Lynch & Co.
399:People Power Revolution
677: (2008) (Syllabus)
508:
88:128 S. Ct. 2180; 171
45:Decided June 12, 2008
43:Argued March 17, 2008
466:Secretary of Justice
373:which clarified the
112:Opinion announcement
108:Opinion announcement
771:on January 25, 2020
484:known in US law as
478:, they argued that
302:Ruth Bader Ginsburg
223:14 Civ. 890 (KPF) (
693:The New York Times
556:Subsequent history
486:sovereign immunity
416:Operation Big Bird
266:Associate Justices
948:Misc. No. 16-1339
628:District Attorney
624:District Attorney
362:
361:
172:(9th Cir. 2006);
1121:
1085:
1079:
1076:
1070:
1067:
1061:
1058:
1052:
1025:
1019:
1002:
1001:
999:
997:
982:
976:
975:
973:
971:
956:
950:
940:
931:
930:
928:
926:
911:
905:
897:
891:
890:
888:
886:
871:
865:
852:
846:
833:
827:
810:
804:
787:
781:
780:
778:
776:
767:. Archived from
756:
745:
744:
740:
734:
724:
718:
712:
711:
709:
707:
684:
678:
665:
656:
649:
515:
469:Raul M. Gonzalez
251:Court membership
184:1061 (2007).
33:
32:
21:
1129:
1128:
1124:
1123:
1122:
1120:
1119:
1118:
1089:
1088:
1083:
1077:
1074:
1068:
1065:
1059:
1056:
1050:
1034:
1029:
1028:
1020:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1005:
995:
993:
984:
983:
979:
969:
967:
958:
957:
953:
941:
934:
924:
922:
913:
912:
908:
898:
894:
884:
882:
881:. June 13, 2008
879:GMA News Online
873:
872:
868:
853:
849:
834:
830:
811:
807:
788:
784:
774:
772:
758:
757:
748:
742:
741:
737:
720:
719:
715:
705:
703:
686:
685:
681:
666:
659:
650:
641:
636:
588:Richard J. Leon
566:Swezey v. Lynch
558:
517:
510:
502:
494:Robert A. Swift
435:
418:
412:
407:
304:
294:Clarence Thomas
292:
282:Anthony Kennedy
280:
270:John P. Stevens
222:
212:
202:
93:
44:
38:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1127:
1125:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1091:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1063:Google Scholar
1033:
1032:External links
1030:
1027:
1026:
1013:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1004:
1003:
977:
951:
932:
906:
903:, G.R. №189434
892:
866:
847:
828:
805:
782:
746:
735:
713:
679:
657:
638:
637:
635:
632:
557:
554:
513:Antonin Scalia
503:
501:
498:
480:state immunity
434:
431:
411:
408:
406:
403:
360:
359:
353:
352:
348:
347:
344:
343:Concur/dissent
340:
339:
336:
335:Concur/dissent
332:
331:
328:
324:
323:
319:
318:
317:
316:
306:Stephen Breyer
278:Antonin Scalia
267:
264:
259:
253:
252:
248:
247:
239:
238:
234:
233:
199:N.Y. App. Div.
192:
188:
187:
186:
185:
155:
124:
120:
119:
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
87:
71:
67:
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61:
57:
56:
51:
50:Full case name
47:
46:
40:
39:
34:
26:
25:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1126:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1082:
1073:
1064:
1055:
1054:CourtListener
1048:
1044:
1040:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1023:
1018:
1015:
1008:
992:
988:
981:
978:
966:
962:
955:
952:
949:
945:
939:
937:
933:
921:
917:
910:
907:
904:
902:
896:
893:
880:
876:
870:
867:
863:
860:
856:
851:
848:
844:
841:
837:
832:
829:
825:
824:Oral argument
822: (2008) (
821:
818:
814:
809:
806:
802:
799: (2008) (
798:
795:
791:
786:
783:
770:
766:
762:
755:
753:
751:
747:
739:
736:
732:
728:
723:
717:
714:
702:
698:
694:
690:
683:
680:
676:
673:
669:
664:
662:
658:
654:
648:
646:
644:
640:
633:
631:
629:
625:
621:
620:
615:
610:
608:
604:
600:
596:
593:
589:
584:
582:
578:
574:
571:
567:
562:
555:
553:
551:
550:
544:
540:
538:
534:
530:
526:
521:
516:
514:
507:
499:
497:
495:
490:
488:
487:
481:
477:
476:amicus curiae
472:
470:
467:
462:
457:
455:
454:Sandiganbayan
450:
448:
444:
440:
433:United States
432:
430:
427:
423:
417:
409:
404:
402:
400:
396:
393:. Marcos was
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
367:
358:
354:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
322:Case opinions
320:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
268:
265:
263:
260:
258:Chief Justice
257:
256:
254:
249:
245:
240:
235:
232:
231:
226:
220:
216:
210:
206:
200:
196:
193:
189:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
166:448 F.3d 1072
163:
162:446 F.3d 1019
159:
156:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
134:
130:
127:
126:
125:
121:
116:
113:
110:
106:
103:
102:Oral argument
100:
96:
91:
85:
84:
79:
76:
72:
68:
65:
62:
58:
55:
52:
48:
41:
37:
27:
22:
16:
1038:
1017:
994:. Retrieved
990:
980:
968:. Retrieved
964:
954:
942:
923:. Retrieved
919:
909:
900:
895:
883:. Retrieved
878:
869:
850:
831:
808:
785:
773:. Retrieved
769:the original
765:ABS-CBN News
764:
738:
721:
716:
704:. Retrieved
692:
682:
627:
623:
617:
611:
586:As noted by
585:
579:interpreted
568:(2012), 973
565:
563:
559:
549:ABS-CBN News
547:
545:
541:
522:
518:
509:
505:
491:
485:
473:
461:interpleader
458:
451:
436:
419:
390:
365:
364:
363:
351:Laws applied
314:Samuel Alito
309:
297:
290:David Souter
285:
273:
262:John Roberts
228:
170:464 F.3d 885
157:
143:
128:
118:Case history
81:
53:
15:
996:January 26,
970:January 26,
925:January 25,
885:January 25,
826:@ 00:49:41)
775:January 25,
733: 1995).
706:January 26,
441:, in 1995,
410:Switzerland
391:Arelma S.A.
176:. granted,
1093:Categories
634:References
414:See also:
405:Background
381:, via its
195:NY Slip Op
191:Subsequent
60:Docket no.
701:0362-4331
90:L. Ed. 2d
70:Citations
1037:Text of
511:Justice
500:Decision
327:Majority
225:S.D.N.Y.
215:F. App'x
152:9th Cir.
133:F. Supp.
98:Argument
991:Rappler
965:Rappler
731:D. Haw.
597:of the
533:vacated
525:Stevens
437:In the
338:Stevens
237:Holding
230:et seq.
219:2d Cir.
197:05208 (
140:D. Haw.
64:06-1204
1084:
1078:
1075:
1072:Justia
1069:
1066:
1060:
1057:
1051:
1041:,
729: (
725:,
699:
592:Senior
570:N.E.2d
535:and a
529:Souter
346:Souter
312:
310:·
308:
300:
298:·
296:
288:
286:·
284:
276:
274:·
272:
227:2018)
205:N.E.2d
146:, 103
131:, 910
1045:
1009:Notes
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838:
815:
792:
670:
221:2016)
211:2012)
207:703 (
201:2011)
180:
154:1996)
150:767 (
123:Prior
1047:U.S.
998:2020
972:2020
927:2020
887:2020
859:U.S.
840:U.S.
817:U.S.
794:U.S.
777:2020
708:2020
697:ISSN
672:U.S.
581:CPLR
575:the
572:703,
537:stay
217:37 (
213:681
209:N.Y.
203:973
182:U.S.
174:cert
148:F.3d
136:1460
83:more
75:U.S.
73:553
1043:553
1022:Sic
862:851
855:553
843:851
836:553
820:851
813:553
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790:553
675:851
668:553
178:552
92:131
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889:.
803:)
779:.
710:.
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482:(
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138:(
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80:(
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