Philippines – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has once again stood firm on his family’s assets, insisting they are “NOT ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH.” He pointed to a string of civil case victories as his proof, even as the family’s unpaid estate tax has now ballooned to a staggering P203 billion.
According to a news report, the President made the remarks during a luncheon hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) on August 14, 2026. A journalist asked him about the status of settling his late father’s estate, of which he serves as co-executor.
Marcos Points to Court Wins
For the President, the courtroom outcomes speak for themselves.
“The reason we won those civil cases is because they were proven to be not ill-gotten wealth,” Marcos said. He stressed that his family prevailed precisely because they showed the assets were legitimately theirs.
A Duty He Admits He ‘Neglected’
Marcos was candid about how much attention he has given the matter. He admitted openly that he has “neglected” some of his responsibilities as co-executor, blaming the endless demands of the presidency.
He drew a sharp line between his public role and his private affairs:
- The estate is a family matter, not a state concern
- Governance, he said, is “113 million times more important than any family matter”
- He has handed everything over to the family’s lawyers
- He advised reporters to send their questions straight to his legal advisers
“I hear about it in passing, but I don’t really sit in on meetings,” Marcos said, adding that he is not a lawyer and leaves the legal work to those who understand it.
The P203-Billion Question
The numbers tell a different story from the confident tone.
Back in 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that the family of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. owed P23 billion in estate taxes. That decision became final and executory in 1999.
Nearly three decades later, the debt has not gone away. Retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio says the unpaid sum has now grown to P203 billion, driven by years of non-payment and mounting interest.
Why This Matters for Filipinos Abroad
For millions of OFWs who dutifully pay their taxes from every corner of the globe, the ballooning figure raises pressing questions about fairness and accountability at the very top. The debate over the Marcos wealth is far from settled, and this latest exchange keeps it squarely in the national conversation.