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Marcos entitled to due process in estate tax case: JV Ejercito

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos Jr. visits Guiginto, Bulacan as part of the campaign trail on March 8, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/03/28/20220308-election-campaign-marcos-duterte-bulacan-md-9.jpg"/><figcaption>Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos Jr. visits Guiginto, Bulacan as part of the campaign trail on March 8, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Presidential aspirant Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr. should be afforded due process in his estate tax case, senatorial hopeful JV Ejercito said on Monday.Ejercito said the tax liability that has reportedly ballooned to P203 billion had “to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.”&quot;I think we have to be a government of laws. If we find sufficient evidence, he has to pay... It’s political season kasi, I don&#x27;t really like to ride on issues until there&#x27;s really enough evidence to really prove that,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Headstart.He said government &quot;has to really improve its legal team because through the years, they&#x27;ve been losing their cases to the Marcoses.&quot;&quot;In fairness to BBM (Marcos), I think he needs to be given due process also just like any other citizens,&quot; Ejercito continued. Marcos&#x27; camp over the weekend claimed the tax debt was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/26/22/marcos-jr-camp-claims-estate-tax-case-still-pending-in-court">still pending in court</a>. Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, however, said the high court ruling in 1997, which affirmed a Court of Appeals decision on the Marcos estate tax of P23 billion, was already final and executory. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/03/24/22/henares-carpio-marcos-jr-can-escape-p203b-tax-liability-if-he-is-president ">Henares, Carpio: Marcos Jr. can escape P203B estate tax liability if he wins as President</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/22/22/dof-chief-urged-to-collect-marcos-familys-p203-b-tax-debt">Isko&#x27;s campaign strategist urges DOF chief to collect Marcos family&#x27;s P203-B tax debt</a></li></ul><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Former senator JV Ejercito addresses the crowd during the proclamation rally of presidential aspirant, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his running-mate, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at the Imus City Grandstand in Cavite on Feb. 8, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/03/28/20220208-election-campaign-lacson-gc-6660.jpg"/><figcaption>Former senator JV Ejercito addresses the crowd during the proclamation rally of presidential aspirant, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his running-mate, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at the Imus City Grandstand in Cavite on Feb. 8, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File </figcaption></figure></div>Ejercito, who served in the Senate from to 2013 to 2019, said Marcos has asked him to join his party&#x27;s campaign rallies.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/18/22/jv-laments-not-being-part-of-uniteam-but-ok-with-campaigning-independently">JV laments not being part of UniTeam but OK with campaigning independently</a></li></ul>Ejercito added he was the &quot;first one&quot; to be endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte &quot;last month.&quot;He said Duterte was also entitled to due process for alleged deaths in his campaign against drugs.The International Criminal Court in September last year authorized a full inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity in the anti-narcotics drive. It suspended the inquiry in November 2021 due to the Philippine government&#x27;s deferment request. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/24/21/icc-ph-must-provide-info-to-support-probe-deferment-request ">PH must provide info to support probe deferment request: ICC</a></li></ul>&quot;If there’s enough evidence, we have to go through the process, he (Duterte) has to be given due process, he has to be able to defend himself,&quot; Ejercito said.&quot;I think the President being a lawyer I think he can defend himself just in case the ICC will conduct its probe. As I said, I will always stick to us being a government of laws not of men.&quot;Aside from Marcos and Duterte, Ejercito said he was endorsed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso. Ejercito has also been joining the tandem of Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III as he&#x27;s a member of the National People&#x27;s Coalition.Ejercito said he wanted to return to the Senate to oversee the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law that he sponsored. He said he would also push for a &quot;core masterplan&quot; for infrastructure and development &quot;so that whoever sits as President, we already have a blueprint the country will follow.&quot; Ejercito added that he would like to amend or repeal the Rice Tariffication Law as he is &quot;not in favor fo too much importation.&quot;&quot;I&#x27;m also the author of anti-smuggling law... Since 2015, wala pang nahuhuli na big-time smuggler under this law (no big-time smuggler has been caught under this law). It&#x27;s really killing our agricultural sector. I believe this has to be reviewed,&quot; he said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/05/21/jv-ejercito-confident-of-unblemished-track-record">JV Ejercito says confident of &#x27;unblemished track record&#x27; in Senate bid</a></li></ul>

Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos should be afforded due process in his estate tax cases, senatorial hopeful JV Ejercito said. 