The son of late President Ferdinand E. Marcos denies reports of a midnight deal between his family and the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) for the recovery of some P140 billion worth of alleged ill-gotten assets attached in more than 500 cases in court.

Senatorial aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who was here in Ilocos Sur last Sunday to join the campaigh rally of Nationalista Party presidential bet Senator Manny Villar and NP vice-presidential candidate Senator Loren Legarda at President Quirino Stadium in Bantay town, said the report was politically-motivated and black propaganda aimed against his candidacy.

“There is no truth about the issue, it’s false; it’s purely a “black propaganda” initiated by those people who want to destroy my candidacy for senator this May 10, 2010 election,” he said.

He claimed the issue was aired by detractors because they had no other means to derail his candidacy.

“This issue doesn’t make any sense considering that this had already been existing in the past until it was again brought out this time that I will seek senatorial position this coming election,” he said.

“This is clearly a black propaganda against my candidacy considering its timing,” he said.

He disclosed that his enemies in politics orchestrated the issue to destroy his credibility at a time when he had a great chance to win a senatorial post.

The young Marcos consistently places in the top 12 among candidates for senator in different surveys.

He said a settlement with government on the many ill-gotten wealth cases is remote as most were now being dismissed in favor of the Marcoses.

Marcos said that his brother in law, Gregorio “Greggy” Araneta, the husband of Irene, had met one of the PCGG officials but there was no discussion of a deal.

Meanwhile, he asked his detractors not to resort to dirty tactics in politics and instead present voters with alternative solutions to solve the country’s problems.

“Our people want unity against the crisis that we are presently experiencing. They didn’t want a politics of hatred; they didn’t want a politics of division; they didn’t want traditional politicians; but what they want are the solutions to solve our current problems and crisis,” he said.

In a related development, a Malacañang official assured the public that any government deal with the Marcos family over the ill-gotten wealth will be done transparently and prudently.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar said the government will not in any way speed the process and it will be transparent enough in handling the Marcos wealth issue.

“Any proposal will be made to public,” he said.

He said the Department of Justice, the supervising agency of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), will closely review any proposed settlement and would endorse it to the Office of the President for another scrutiny.

PCGG Commissioner Ricardo Abcede earlier clarified that the compromise talks between the Marcoses and PCGG were just exploratory, saying that any negotiations should have to be reviewed by appropriate government agencies.

Malacañang earlier expressed resolve to forge a settlement of the Marcos wealth issue before President Arroyo’s term lapses in June. (Charissa M. Luci)