The Aquino administration establishes the PCGG through Executive Order No. 1; the PCGG files claims to Marcos property here and abroad
US Customs freezes millions of dollars worth of money and gold from the Marcoses when they flee to Hawaii
A group of Martial Law victims, through human rights group SELDA (Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto), file a class action suit against the Marcos estate.
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law or RA 6657 is signed into law. Under this, agricultural lands are to be redistributed to landless farmers. Among the sources of funding is the Marcoses’ stolen wealth recovered through the PCGG.
As of 2015, a total of over Php78 billion in ill-gotten wealth has been reserved for the CARP account.
An inventory of recovered Old Masters paintings, jewelry, and other luxury items is done through a partnership between the PCGG and the Commission on Audit.
Republic Act 7080 or the Anti-Plunder Law is established.
Former senator and first PCGG chair Jovito Salonga filed in the Senate various bills that would become RA 7080.
Class action suit filed by Martial Law victims through SELDA in Hawaii court is won.
Two jewelry collections are seized: the Hawaii collection is turned over to the PCGG and the Roumeliotes collection to the Bureau of Customs.
The Roumeliotes collection is names after Demetriou Roumeliotes, a Greek businessman and a friend to the Marcoses, who attempted to smuggle some jewelry out of the Malacañang after the Marcoses fled.
Victims of the regime are instructed to file claims in order for the US court to dispense $1.96 billion in compensation and damages justly.
PCGG completes investigation into Php15.74 billion in behest loans in government banks like Philippine National Bank (PNB) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
Congress, under the administration of then President Joseph Estrada, cuts PCGG budget by 50%. Early in his administration, Estrada promised to abolish the PCGG altogether.
Criminal complaints against former PCGG chairs and directors are filed before the Ombudsman for their unauthorized sale of a Falcon jet previously owned by Marcos.
The Supreme Court orders the forfeiture of Swiss bank deposits in favor of the PCGG and not the human rights victims staking individual claims.
“Despots and crime barons, large and small, have deposited millions in Switzerland for decades without consequence for most. But the Marcos fortune was different because of its size and embarrassment to the Swiss from the lengthy efforts of the country’s government to retrieve it.” – Elizabeth Olson, New York Times, 1998.
PCGG is given additional mandate to pursue cases arising from inactive loans with government banks. This function was previously under the mandate given to the defunct Presidential Ad-Hoc Fact-Finding Committee.
Twelve Martial Law victims are granted the first set of compensation checks, which came from a settlement with the family of a Marcos ally (approx. $10 million), not the $2 billion won from the case.
The seeming dispute between the PCGG and individual claimants comes from differing views on how the Marcos loot must be redistributed. Reparations are clearly due victims of the regime. However, there is also the logic that the Marcos loot is representative of plunder of the entire state, hence recompense is due the entire country – not only the victims – through the PCGG.
“The money is important…but more important is to send a message to would-be human rights violators that they cannot hide anywhere.” – Rene Saguisag, lawyer and Senator at the time of the class suit
Humans Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 is established. The law also includes the formation of the Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB), mandated to dispense compensation to Martial Law victims. HRVCB is to adjudicate claims that would be filed by Martial Law victims and decide whether they would be granted recompense depending on how strongly they substantiate their claims. Victims recognized by the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation and those listed in the class action suit are automatically rendered eligible for reparation.
A photo exhibit of Marcos jewelry, made possible by the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation, is featured at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. The PCGG also posted photos of select Marcos jewelry on its social media accounts.
Ferdinand E. Marcos is buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani after being held in his hometown.
HRVCB releases list of first 4,000 Martial Law victims eligible to claim reparations from the board; the allotted budget for this initial stream of reparations is Php300 million.